Date:
September 12, 2014
New Delhi, 12 Sep 2014: India's prominent Muslim organization has written a letter to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh over spurt in saffron hate campaign against minorities, particularly Muslims since Bharatiya Janata Party came to power at the Centre in May this year. In his three-page letter on Wednesday, Mr. Nusrat Ali, Secretary General of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, country’s largest socio-religious organization, said the hate campaign will not only harm the plural and secular character of the country but also obstruct the development plans of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“The country witnessed hateful political campaign during the Lok Sabha Elections 2014 but after a strong government with full majority was formed at the centre on 26th May, it was widely hoped that the hate campaign would be reined in. But what happened was just shocking and disturbing. Hate campaigners appeared to have got more wings as they launched new series of false propaganda in the name of fabricated terms like ‘Love Jihad’, ‘communal’ rapes and ‘forced’ conversions.
Much to the disappointment of the countrymen particularly minorities, leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and Sangh Parivar including Yogi Adityanath, Ashok Singhal and Praveen Togadia continued making provocative, poisonous and hateful speeches and no action was taken against them,” said Jamaat leader in the letter. He also said that the centre cannot remain idle saying Law and Order is state issue. “It is true that Law and Order is a matter of state governments, but when a state fails in maintaining law and order and hate campaign creates huge communal tensions the central government cannot remain silent.”
He urged the government to follow Raj Dharma.
“It is obligatory on both central and state governments to follow Raj Dharma to reassure safety, security, dignity and rights given by the Constitution of the country to every citizen, group and community including minorities,” he said. Jamaat leader while appreciating austerity measures and some development plans of Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed doubt on their success if divisive campaigns continued unabated jeopardizing peace and social unity. “Soon after assuming charge, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken some good austerity measures and decisions…(and) spelled out his vision of development for the country.
But we wonder if any developmental target can be achieved without maintaining peace and social unity. We strongly think that no country can progress and become powerful unless all of its communities feel secure about their life, properties, identity, language and culture and their participation in nation building and share in development are ensured,” Mr. Ali wrote. “A situation where Muslims, the largest minority of the country, are in constant fear and demonised and hate campaign creates distrust among different communities will not help the government to fulfil the obligation of Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas and it will weaken our country and slow down its journey to progress and prosperity,” he further said.
He urged the government to take all communities along whether they voted for or against it and adopt strong measures to maintain communal harmony and protect minorities. “This democratically elected government is of all citizens whether they voted for or against it. It has big challenges ahead like poverty, inflation and corruption. These challenges can be met successfully only if we all are together and united, and peace, justice, mutual trust and harmony prevail in the country. We hope that the government would do the needful to create a true feeling of trust, safety, security and dignity among all communities including minorities and to ensure equal opportunities for their full participation in nation building,” he said. Jamaat leader said that despite differences of opinion on some issues, Jamaat will always support good initiatives of the government.
“The country witnessed hateful political campaign during the Lok Sabha Elections 2014 but after a strong government with full majority was formed at the centre on 26th May, it was widely hoped that the hate campaign would be reined in. But what happened was just shocking and disturbing. Hate campaigners appeared to have got more wings as they launched new series of false propaganda in the name of fabricated terms like ‘Love Jihad’, ‘communal’ rapes and ‘forced’ conversions.
Much to the disappointment of the countrymen particularly minorities, leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and Sangh Parivar including Yogi Adityanath, Ashok Singhal and Praveen Togadia continued making provocative, poisonous and hateful speeches and no action was taken against them,” said Jamaat leader in the letter. He also said that the centre cannot remain idle saying Law and Order is state issue. “It is true that Law and Order is a matter of state governments, but when a state fails in maintaining law and order and hate campaign creates huge communal tensions the central government cannot remain silent.”
He urged the government to follow Raj Dharma.
“It is obligatory on both central and state governments to follow Raj Dharma to reassure safety, security, dignity and rights given by the Constitution of the country to every citizen, group and community including minorities,” he said. Jamaat leader while appreciating austerity measures and some development plans of Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed doubt on their success if divisive campaigns continued unabated jeopardizing peace and social unity. “Soon after assuming charge, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken some good austerity measures and decisions…(and) spelled out his vision of development for the country.
But we wonder if any developmental target can be achieved without maintaining peace and social unity. We strongly think that no country can progress and become powerful unless all of its communities feel secure about their life, properties, identity, language and culture and their participation in nation building and share in development are ensured,” Mr. Ali wrote. “A situation where Muslims, the largest minority of the country, are in constant fear and demonised and hate campaign creates distrust among different communities will not help the government to fulfil the obligation of Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas and it will weaken our country and slow down its journey to progress and prosperity,” he further said.
He urged the government to take all communities along whether they voted for or against it and adopt strong measures to maintain communal harmony and protect minorities. “This democratically elected government is of all citizens whether they voted for or against it. It has big challenges ahead like poverty, inflation and corruption. These challenges can be met successfully only if we all are together and united, and peace, justice, mutual trust and harmony prevail in the country. We hope that the government would do the needful to create a true feeling of trust, safety, security and dignity among all communities including minorities and to ensure equal opportunities for their full participation in nation building,” he said. Jamaat leader said that despite differences of opinion on some issues, Jamaat will always support good initiatives of the government.