Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind chief warns of rising intolerance in India
Slams Modi government’s silence on attacks against minorities
New Delhi : Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind President Arshad Madani has expressed serious concern over the growing climate of intolerance in India, warning that religious extremism and hatred are destroying the country’s core values.
According to Kashmir Media Service, in a statement, Madani condemned the attacks on the Christian community during Christmas celebrations, calling them a direct assault on the religious freedoms enshrined in India’s constitution. “What the communal elements did to the Christian community on the occasion of Christmas cannot be justified in any way,” Madani said, adding, “Churches were attacked in various places, and attempts were made to stop the Christian community from celebrating their festival.”
Madani also highlighted a series of violent incidents from different parts of India to underline his concerns.
A few days ago, in Bihar’s Nalanda, Madani said that a person was beaten to death. “Some people beat a Muslim man who was selling clothes so brutally after asking his name and religion that he died in the hospital,” Madani said. Drawing attention to similar cases elsewhere, he added, “A similar incident came to light in Kerala, where a Dalit youth from Chhattisgarh was killed after being labelled a Bangladeshi. Just a few days later, in Odisha, three Muslim labourers from West Bengal were subjected to mob lynching, in which one died, and two are undergoing treatment in the hospital.”
Taking a swipe at the BJP-led Indian government, Madani expressed disappointment over what he described as official silence on such incidents. “Sad thing is that neither the government has condemned these incidents nor has any cabinet member issued a statement on this. The discussion on TV channels about the Bangladesh incident and the silence on the mob lynchings happening in India is extremely regrettable. What should this double standard be called?” he asked.
He stressed that the prevailing situation goes against the core values on which India was founded. “Certainly, this is not the India dreamed of by Gandhi, Motilal Nehru, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, and our elders,” he said.
