Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) has strongly denounced the arrest of Maulana Umar Gautam and Mufti Qazi Jahangir Alam Qasmi.
The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terror Squad recently arrested them on several charges. Now they are being investigated under police custody.
In a media statement, JIH Vice President Prof. Mohammad Salim Engineer has strongly condemned their arrest and called it completely against justice. He said, “the manner in which they were arrested and are being implicated in serious charges and the way a section of the media is overreacting, it clearly shows that attempts are being made to exploit public sentiments by creating a charged atmosphere of fear, intimidation and hatred for political mileage. Such attempts to divert attention from the real public issues to create a sentimental atmosphere in view of the UP Assembly elections to be held eight months later, are very regrettable.”
The JIH Vice President said, “in a democratic country, who can force someone to change his religion? Islam does not allow it at all. Our Constitution gives every citizen the right to choose, practice and propagate the religion of his choice. No one can deprive him of this right. Making unfounded allegation of terrorism and threaten to invoke stringent laws like NSA and seizure of property are tantamount to challenge the democracy and the Indian Constitution.”
Urging justice loving people, organizations and the political parties to raise their voices against such injustices, Prof. Salim Engineer said that they should take steps to protect the rights of citizens. We hope that the UP government will rectify its mistake by immediately issuing an order to release the two scholars and we also expect that the court will soon give justice in this case.
Press release issued by: Media Dept. Jamaat-e-Islami Hind
