Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s call for implementing the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in India is discriminatory and will give opportunity to forces that are hostile to the nation, Maulana Mahmood Madani, head of the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind (JUH), says.
Reacting to Mr. Shah’s speech in Kolkata on October 1, the leader of the largest group of Islamic scholars and ulemas said it was a sign that Muslims would be sent to detention camps of Assam.
Pan-India NRC
“Madani clarified that there is no issue if NRC is conducted across India. But it appears from the tone and tenor of the Home Minister that he is targeting Muslims. Such an attitude will generate hatred and promote enmity among different sections of the Indian society and raise suspicion about the Muslims,” a statement from the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind said quoting from Mr. Madani’s comments.
The Home Minister had in Kolkata hinted at the allegedly undocumented immigrants from Bangladesh and said, “All infiltrators will be thrown out.” His comments came up during Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to Delhi which ended on Sunday.
Mr. Madani said the comments were both “improper” and “discriminatory”.
He said distinction and discrimination on the basis of religion contradicts fundamental rights as enshrined in Articles 14 to 15 of the Constitution and would violate international norms recognised by the United Nations.
“It seems that only Muslims will be kept in detention camps in Assam,” said Maulana Madani. “If happens so, then it will bring bad name for the nation at the international level and will become a tool in the hands of the inimical forces who are bent on tarnishing the image of the country,” he added.
