Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind holds ‘Peace March’ simultaneously over 700 towns and cities across India against rising violent hate crimes.

Government must tell the world what steps taken to curb cow-vigilantes: Maulana Mahmood Madani  

NEW DELHI, August 13, 2017: In a bid to counter the rising religious hate crimes, intolerance, and mob-lynching incidents  as well as to remind the message of peace and love to the countrymen, prominent and historic Muslim group,  Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind  (JUH)on Sunday organized ‘Aman(Peace)  March’ simultaneously in more than 700 cities and towns across India. The JUH President Qari Mohammad Usman led the march at Jantar Mantar in the National Capital while General Secretary Maulana Mahmood Madani in Pune ( Maharashtra).

Conveying the message of brotherhood and harmony, the peace marches were taken out in all the major cities including Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Chennai, Lucknow, Gauhati, Imphal, Bangalore, and Aurangabad etc.  Even in the flood-affected Dhanera town of Gujarat, Muslims, as well as Hindus both, took out the rally to put across the message of peace.

 Addressing the rally after the march terminated at Jantar Mantra here, Jamiat president Qari Mohammad Usman said India is a country of diverse nations and religions and an embodiment of unity in diversity for centuries. However, it is unfortunate that some forces inimical to the unity and integrity of the country have been rearing their ugly head since a long time, he said. These disruptive and divisive forces do not respect the Constitution and the Law of the land and have been targeting a particular religious group in the country, he added.  Deploring the communal and fascist, the Jamiat chief said their violent activities’ main target is religious minorities in general and Muslims in particular with the aim of creating a fear psychosis in them.  All these attacks are deplorable, and seem to indicate a weakening of the rule of law and this wave has contributed to a growing sense of insecurity for many Muslims and intensified religious tensions, Qari Usman said.

 In such a situation, how could have Jamiat sit idle as it gave a clarion call to the fellow countrymen to support the Jamiat efforts for spreading the message of love and peace once again in our beloved country, he said.  He underlined that those forces and persons who violate the rule of law are not only the enemy of any particular religious group but also the country.

Condemning the attitude of the present government towards hate crimes and mob-lynching, the Jamiat chief said by condoning such elements and forces will push the country into anarchy and lawlessness. He demanded that the BJP-led governments at center and in states must ensure that there is no impunity for those responsible for public lynchings and other hate crimes against Muslims and Dalits.

 Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind strongly urged the government that “This worrying trend of hate-crimes and intolerance needs to be stopped in its tracks and take strict action against perpetrators of this crime for establishing peace in the country,” he said.

Without peace and tranquility no country or nation in the world can march on the path of progress, the Jamiat Chief declared.

  With its spread and participation, Jamiat’s ‘Peace March’ is being billed as the biggest protest demonstration against the forces of hatred and intolerance as well as incidents of mob lynching in the country till date.

Concerned citizens from all faiths marched the streets and main thorough fares in major towns and cities with holding placards to spread the message of communal harmony and to raise a united voice against the growing virulent atmosphere in the country.

In Pune, under the leadership of Maulana Mahmood Madani, thousands of people joined the peacemarch.  On the occasion, he said the pattern of hate crimes committed against Muslims and Dalits with seeming impunity is deeply worrying.   In this backdrop, Jamiat has taken the decision of organizing peace march across the country as the message of love and brotherhood is the only way to answer to the forces of hatred. The growing darkness in the country can be removed by the message of love, Maulana Madani said while giving graphic details of hate crime incident.

We are not saying this but the central government itself admitted in the Parliament by stating that in the last three years, hate and communal violence incidents have increased by 41 percent, he said.

I asked a question to the government that what steps and actions it has taken so far to curb the so-called cow vigilante groups as the world wants to know about it, he said.

 Coming down heavily on communal forces, Maulana Madani said the country is witnessing the hostile and aggressive political and social atmosphere which has been fueled by some ruling party members with the tacit approval of authorities.

 Under the banner of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, this peace march was taken out across the country to spread the message of love, now the  government must  clear its position whether it is  with  ‘the caravan of peace” or with the hate-mongers and hate-peddlers who are hell bent on destroying the very social fabric of the country, he asked.

 Maulana Madani said these divisive forces are destroying the old traditions and values by brainwashing the youth generation of the country that cannot be overlooked and ignored.

 He also made it clear that this campaign is not against individual or group but to save and build the country. It is the responsibility of the majority community to protect and to instill confidence among the minority community members, Maulana Madani said.

 This movement is to stir the conscience of the country and a call for standing united against the forces of evil which want to create divisions in the country on religious lines.   

 Besides Maulana Madani, other faith leaders also addressed the peace rallies at different places of the country.  They said the mob violence has become a norm now but unfortunately, both the Prime Minister and various Chief Ministers have done little to show that they disapprove of this violence. They also underlined that BJP leaders have ignored, or worse, even justified the attacks at times.

In Delhi, Maulana Niyaz Ahmad Farooqui, Maulana Javed Ahmad Qasmi, Maulana Abid Qasmi and others also spoke on the occasion.