Raising concerns over the Central government’s “ostrich-like approach” to growing incidents of hate speech and Islamophobia, the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind has sought action against the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) leaders and sections of the media. The oldest Muslim body in the country began its three-day conclave on Friday with a resolution calling for immediate steps to put an end to the menace.
The general assembly—in which about 10,000 delegates are participating from across the country—drew attention to the campaign to tarnish the reputation of madrasas, the Assam government’s controversial campaign to put an end to child marriages, and other instances of hatred and incitement against the Muslim community, claiming that they have “increased to an alarming level in our country”. The Jamiat’s strong condemnation of hate speech comes on the heels of a meeting with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leaders last month, where Muslim leaders—including representatives of the Jamiat—had raised concerns about hate speech and Islamophobia in the country.
Speaking on behalf of the Jamiat, senior leader Niaz Faruqi said, “The most regrettable point is that though the government is aware of these developments, it prefers to adopt an ostrich-like approach. Despite reports of various international organisations, Indian civil society and the warnings by the Supreme Court, the rulers are conveniently overlooking these incidents, while the cordial atmosphere in the country is continuously being poisoned by the hateful statements of many BJP leaders, members of State assemblies and Members of Parliament.”
‘Hate speech law needed’
The Jamiat urged the Centre to take immediate steps to put a stop to actions which are against the norms of democracy, justice and equality and are anti-Islam in nature. “Strict action should be taken against these elements and the media engaged in spreading hatred, especially after the recent clear and rational comments of the Supreme Court. Action should be taken against the inattentive agencies and their slipshod attitude in this regard, and the miscreants should be brought to justice,” the resolution said.
It also asked the government to enact “a separate law to specifically punish those who incite violence against the minorities”. Drawing attention to calls for a socio-economic boycott of the Muslim community, the Jamiat urged bodies like the National Foundation for Communal Harmony and the National Integration Council to be more active and concentrate on outreach programmes to promote communal harmony.
“The Jamiat appeals to all fair-minded organisations and nation-friendly individuals to unite and fight against extremist and fascist forces at political and social levels” and “make every effort to further mutual tolerance and coexistence”, the resolution urged.
‘Brainwashed using media’
The first day’s deliberations concluded with a condemnation of the Islamophobic campaign being carried out by sections of the media. “Systematic efforts are currently underway at the national level to spoil the image of Muslims and Islamic rulers, using the electronic media and social media to brainwash other communities. Social media has become a handy resource for groups which make negative comments against Islam and the Prophet. Ignorant, uneducated and ill-informed people are invited to comment on Islam, who in reality are instruments to spread falsehood about the Quran and Hadith and present a picture of Islam which is not true and mostly fabricated on hearsay,” the resolution stated.
The Jamiat spokesman reminded the media of Supreme Court judge Justice Joseph’s comment that “media people have to understand that they are holding strong positions”.
Interestingly, the meeting also drew attention to environmental degradation, climate change and unsustainable development, calling them “serious threats to the right to life of current and future generations”. It asked people to plant more trees to combat air pollution and minimise the use of plastic in everyday life.
