New Delhi, July 3: Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind (JUH) president Maulana Arshad Madani has endorsed Rahul Gandhi’s recent parliamentary speech, commending his opposition to violence and hatred. He emphasized that such actions are condemned by all religions.
In a media statement, Maulana Madani addressed the ongoing issue of mob lynching in India, criticizing the government’s insufficient legal response despite the Supreme Court’s directives. He praised Gandhi for his courageous stance and expressed hope that other opposition leaders would join in denouncing violence.
Reflecting on recent election outcomes, Maulana Madani saw them as a rejection of sectarianism, attributing this shift to the conscious voting decisions of minorities, especially Muslims. He urged secular parties to protect the constitution and democracy by advocating for Muslim rights.
Madani also highlighted the declining representation of Muslims in Parliament and state assemblies, attributing this to the reservation of constituencies for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs). He called for addressing this imbalance to ensure fair representation for Muslims.
He underscored that religion promotes humanity, tolerance, love, and unity, condemning those who spread hatred as false followers of their faith. He appealed to sensible individuals to oppose such divisive figures.
Maulana Madani lamented the rise of religiously motivated violence globally and in India. Reaffirming JUH’s commitment to love, tolerance, and unity, he condemned mob lynching as a brutal violence that persists despite existing laws and Supreme Court rulings. He called for stricter laws and criticized the government’s lack of serious action.
In light of recent mob lynching incidents in Odisha and Aligarh, Madani urged opposition leaders to push for stronger legal measures. He praised Rahul Gandhi for his outspoken criticism of violence and hatred in his inaugural speech as Leader of the Opposition, hoping others would follow his example.
He noted that Muslims, historically fighting for their own protection, are now also defending the Constitution, democracy, and their rights. He credited the recent election results rejecting sectarianism to the conscious voting by minorities, particularly Muslims, and called on parties like Congress to safeguard the constitution and democracy while fighting for Muslim rights.
Praising leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav for their commitment to secularism, Madani acknowledged their efforts gained the trust of secular-minded voters. Despite attempts to neutralize the Muslim vote since 2014, the community’s unity in recent elections has reinforced the importance of secularism and democracy. This unity forced even sectarian media and analysts to recognize the impact of the Muslim vote.
Madani criticized the growing religious extremism and communalism that marginalize Muslims politically and socially. However, he noted that Muslims have shown their patriotism by voting against hatred and for the protection of the Constitution.
Expressing concern over the reduced Muslim representation in legislative bodies, Madani pointed to the reservation of Muslim-majority constituencies for SC and ST as a key issue. He cited the 2006 Ranganath Mishra Commission’s recommendations for revising these constituencies, which have been overlooked.
Madani called on secular parties to vigorously advocate for Muslim rights within and outside Parliament to uphold the constitution and democracy. He stressed that the principles of democracy and secularism can only be preserved through faithful implementation of the Constitution’s directive principles.
