Union
Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who incidentally happens to represent Uttar
Pradesh in the Lok Sabha, should take serious note of the advisory issued by
the Darul Uloom Deoband appealing to its students to avoid travelling on
Republic Day if possible. The advisory was issued citing the possibility of
security checks creating situations that could lead to a sense of fear and
insecurity. In the past some students were harassed and even arrested by the UP
police on the pretext of being terrorists.
This
notice of caution provides an insight into the fear that has gripped the
officials, teachers and students of Darool Uloom. It is deplorable that people
are restricted from leading normal lives even on the Republic Day. On the
pretext of fighting terrorism, a huge section of the population is being
alienated from the mainstream.
It is
a paradox that the advisory has been issued by an organization which only three
years back had asked the people to hoist tri-colour on their houses. It was in
2015 that Darul Uloom Deoband in a fatwa had asked Muslims to hoist national
flag on their houses and establishments on Independence Day and also appealed
to them to celebrate the occasion with great spirit of patriotism.
The
Ulemas (Islamic religious leaders) of Darul Uloom had played prominent roles in
the freedom struggle. If Uloom’s clerics are to be believed, the call for
‘Complete Independence’ was “given by Darul Uloom”, which later
turned into the ‘Purna Swaraj’ movement. A clergy points out that “from Hussain
Ahmad Madani to Maulvi Ahmadulla Shah, there is a long series of those freedom
fighters who laid down their lives for the Independence of the mother
land”.
“This
community has always been the target of communal forces. They always question
our patriotism. But making it clear in our madrasas, we always teach love for
motherland and patriotism for the country. In the past, we have been
celebrating Independence and Republic Days, and we will continue doing it with
great spirit of patriotism,” said Hafiz Akhlaaq Ahmad Latifi, who runs a
madrasa in Ayodhya.
The
attitude towards Muslims could be understood from the fact that only a couple
of years back a Union minister from Jharkhand had publicly felicitated a group
of criminals who were convicted of lynching a Muslim trader in the state on the
plea that he was carrying beef. Darul Uloom’s students have been harassed by
police and attacked by mobs in the past, particularly on Republic Day and
Independence Day.
Police
and other authorities step up security checks during occasions of national
importance. Students have been harassed; even attacked by a section of people.
So they need to be extra careful. Three Muslim youths were beaten up by over a
dozen men on a passenger train in Baghpat in November 2017. Earlier, five
Islamic scholars were thrashed on board the Delhi-Saharanpur train in May 2015.
Mufti
Asad Qasmi, former member of the seminary, said: “The police had detained Darul
Uloom students two years ago on Republic Day and told the media they were
terrorists. Although they were released the next day, the media didn’t clarify
they had aired incorrect information. Darul Uloom doesn’t want it to recur.”
The seminary’s students had also been attacked on trains or railway platforms
last year, in Saharanpur and Baghpat, and also on Republic Day in 2017 in
Saharanpur, but the accused weren’t identified in any of these instances.
The
Darul Uloom Deoband advisory reflects the sense of deep anguish and frustration
that has gripped the Muslim community; it also manifests their depiction as
anti-nationals. It is really sad how a country forgets the contribution of
Muslims to its growth and development and also for strengthening the secular
character. This is certainly not the pluralism for which India stands. (IPA Service)
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