New Delhi: The President of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH), Syed Sadatullah Hussaini has voiced concern over the recent judgment by a NIA-ATS court that convicted Maulana Kaleem Siddiqui, Maulana Umar Gautam and 14 others for their alleged involvement in illegal conversion cases.
In a statement to the media on Thursday, the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind president expressed profound dismay and concern over the ruling
“We strongly differ with the court’s assessment regarding the levelling of such grave charges. In a democratic country like India, who can force someone to change his religion? Islam does not allow it at all. Every individual has the right to choose, practice, and propagate the religion of his/her choice, and this right is enshrined in our Constitution,” the statement read.
Jamaat-e-Islami Hind said that the gravity of the allegations was deeply troubling. “Such accusations, in our view, undermine the very principles of justice and democracy that our Constitution seeks to uphold. It seems that the entire case has been created to send a certain message to people from minority communities who are practising their constitutionally guaranteed right of practice and propagation of faith without any fear or coercion,” the statement read.
Remarking on Maulana Siddiqui and Maulana Gautam’s arrest, the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind accused certain media outlets for sensationalizing the issue and creating a sense of fear among the public.
“The manner in which Maulana Siddiqui and Maulana Gautam were arrested and implicated coupled with the sensationalized reactions of certain media outlets, showed that the entire exercise was meant to exploit public sentiments by creating a charged atmosphere of fear, intimidation, and hatred for gaining political mileage. This case sets a dangerous precedent, casting a shadow over the fundamental right to practice and propagate the religion of one’s choice. Creating a communal and emotionally charged atmosphere to divert attention from the real public issues is highly regrettable,” the statement read.
Jamaat-e-Islami Hind said that it was their fundamental right guaranteed by the Constitution of India and that any violation is a threat to democracy.
“We urge organizations and political parties to raise their voices against such injustice. We hope the case can be escalated to higher courts to seek redressal on the above conviction. The case is related to fundamental rights, personal liberty, and the rights guaranteed by the Constitution of India. Any violation of these rights and liberties is an endorsement of majoritarianism and authoritarianism and a threat to democracy and the rule of constitutional law,” the statement read.
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