India’s central, state govts misusing ‘Jihad’ to target Muslims, says JUH chief
Bhopal: Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind chief Maulana Mahmood Madani has said that the Modi-led Indian government and several state administrations are deliberately giving a negative meaning to the term “Jihad” to malign Muslims.
According to Kashmir Media Service, speaking at his organisation’s National Governing Body meeting, he said India’s central and state governments propagate phrases such as “love jihad,” “land jihad,” “spit jihad,” and “vote jihad” to vilify the entire Muslim community.
“Jihad is a pious struggle against injustice, wrongdoing, and terrorism. Linking it to violence and crime is wrong and highly planned,” Madani said. He emphasised that Muslims are increasingly being treated as fasaadi (troublemakers) rather than jihadi (those resisting injustice), citing growing government-led harassment, including bulldozer actions, mob lynching, economic boycotts, and hate campaigns.
The Jamiat chief also criticised the judicial system, alleging that Supreme Court verdicts on issues like the Babri Masjid demolition and triple talaq reflect government pressure, raising serious questions about the courts’ independence. He said Muslims continue to face systemic barriers in education, employment, and social mobility despite being equal citizens.
