Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind Chief Arshad Madani Slams Govt For 'Fueling Communal Divide', Warns Of Rising Fascism
He cited issues like targeted demolitions in Assam, the NRC controversy, and the Gaza crisis. Madani emphasised legal recourse over street protests, accusing the government of communal polarisation.
At the executive committee meeting of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, president Maulana Arshad Madani launched sharp attacks on the government, expressing deep concern over India’s current political and social climate.
Madani said Muslims are facing not just one or two issues but a “pile of problems,” alleging that as soon as one issue cools down, another is deliberately created. “It seems the government and communal forces have no other agenda left except to pit Hindus against Muslims,” he remarked.
'India in Grip of Fascism'
Madani alleged that the country has slipped into fascism after the change of power, with communal and anarchist forces gaining dominance. He said hatred is being projected as patriotism, while those spreading violence are being shielded from the law. “It’s not just Muslims suffering in this fire of communalism; the very existence of the nation is being scorched,” he warned.
Meeting Agenda Focused on Communal Tensions
The meeting, attended by Jamiat officials and state leaders, focused on rising communalism, extremism, and unrest; discrimination against minorities, particularly Muslims; ongoing campaigns against madrasas and mosques despite the Places of Worship Act; the eviction drives in Assam that have displaced over 50,000 Muslim families; and Israel’s aggression in Palestine.
Madani said communal thinking has been given a free hand since Independence, and successive governments failed to act effectively against it. Stressing that Jamiat’s fight is not with any community but with the government, he said ensuring law, order, and the safety of all citizens is the state’s responsibility.
Assam CM Under Fire
Targeting the Assam government, Madani alleged that Muslim settlements are being selectively bulldozed in the name of encroachment. “In reality, not just Muslim homes but the Constitution and the law are being bulldozed,” he said, accusing Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of treating Muslims as second-class citizens.
He pointed out that even after the Supreme Court stayed demolition in some cases, new Muslim localities were targeted. “This is a cruelty that words cannot describe,” Madani said, urging the Chief Justice of India to take suo motu cognisance and hold those responsible accountable.
Madani also slammed the Assam CM’s statement about removing “Miya Muslims” and striking their names from the voter rolls. “Does a chief minister now have the authority to strip citizens of voting rights? Has the Constitution ceased to exist?” he asked.
Call for Legal Battle, Not Street Clashes
Madani said Jamiat’s priority is to fight these issues legally rather than through street protests, to avoid clashes between communities. “Whenever problems are created against Muslims, our fight is against the government in court, not against other communities,” he emphasised.
NRC, Citizenship & Communal Polarisation
On Assam’s NRC and citizenship controversy, Madani recalled how Jamiat’s legal struggle earlier thwarted attempts to strip millions of Muslims of citizenship. He alleged that despite NRC clarifying the matter of infiltrators, communal forces want to keep the issue alive to polarise voters and continue eviction drives.
Strong Words on Gaza Crisis
The executive committee also condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza, calling it “a horrific example of terrorism” marked by the killing of nearly 100,000 people and the starvation of civilians. Madani described Israel’s push for “Greater Israel” as a plot to erase Palestinians and seize their remaining land.
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