INDIA MUSLIMS REJECT FAR-RIGHT HINDU RHETORIC

New Delhi, 3 Jumadil Akhir 1436/23 March 2015 (MINA) – Standing up to hateful rhetoric spread by far-right Hindu groups, leaders of India’s Muslim community met in the annual national executive meeting of the Muslims’ leading All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), rejecting Hindu’s trial to convert minorities to Hinduism.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power on development agenda. But now we could not see anything on development,” said Kamal Faroqui, member of AIMPLB, told OnIslam.net quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

“In fact hard core Hindu organizations like Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) have taken the country to another direction. The people of this country voted for development and it should be the main agenda of the government in India.”

In their two-day meeting, held from March 21-22, the AIMPLB national executives met in Jaipur in western Indian state of Rajasthan to discuss controversial issues such as ‘Ghar wapsi’, love jihad, uniform civil code apart from other issues concerning Muslims in India,

Majority of the members of the AIMPLB, an apex body of Muslims in India, feel that ‘Ghar-wapsi’ and love Jihad have become a weapon for majority community to attack minority Muslims.

They added that these controversial topics were used as a smear campaign against the community to deny them any chances of living in peace in the country.

The board has also accused the government of not commiting to its promises, seeing a vast difference between what the government says and what they practice.

“We are concerned about different issues concerning Muslims in India,” said Maulana Nizamuddin, general secretary of AIMPLB to OnIslam.net.

“‘Ghar wapsi’ is a major issue apart from forcing religious practices and rituals of Hindu religion on Muslims in schools. We are planning to take these issues to court. How can you force them on other community in a democratic and secular country like India,” he added.

Targeted

More than 350 delegates from different parts of the country participated in the 24th general session of AIMPLB.

“Muslims in India have to remain cautious so that their religious freedom should not be curtailed,” President Maulana Syed Mohammad Rabey Hasan Nadvi, who delivered his presidential speech, said.

“We are passing through a phase where every action of ours are closely monitored. “We should see that all powers and freedom given to us by our constitution should be safeguarded. The community should also work for the development of the nation,” he added.

The event included another major meeting between the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the board members.

Board members have also highlighted the urged need for spearheading an extensive awareness program about Islam all over the country to correct misconceptions about the community.

Another board member and Imam from Lucknow Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahli suggested that Hindus should be invited in Muslim programs so that they can understand more about this religion.

“We see that different state governments ruled by BJP have been forcing religious teachings and practices of Hindus on other communities. This has to be stopped,” he told OnIslam.net.

“In a secular country like India, there is no place for such things.”

There are some 180 million Muslims in Hindu-majority India, making up 13% of the country’s population. Christians make up less than 3 %. (T/P002/R03)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)