By TCN Staff Reporter,
New Delhi: President of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Maulana Syed Jalaluddin Umri has urged Muslim journalists to do some investigative journalism to dig out facts about terror blasts in the country particularly in the wake of police and a section of media looking hell-bent to witch-hunt a particular community within minutes or hours of a terror blast. Maulana Umri was addressing Muslim journalists at an Iftar party hosted by the Jamaat at its headquarters on Saturday.
Despite the fact that Hindutva extremists have been found involved in various terror blasts across the country including Mecca Masjid, Ajmer Dargah, Malegaon and Samjhauta Express and several Hindutva extremists were killed while making bombs or carrying bombs in the past, yet any blast takes place and police and media rather than probing the incidents professionally and objectively, they start pointing fingers directly or indirectly to Muslims.
Maulana Umri said that in various cases, Police and media have been seen ignoring clear facts and evidence about the culprits and bomb planters and start suspecting a particular community. “Muslim journalists should probe the incidents in journalistic ways and bring out facts about the real culprits without any bias,” said he.
L-R: Nusrat Ali (General Secretary), Shafi Madani (Secretary), Syed Jalaluddin Umri (President), Rafique Qasmi, Mohammad Ahmed, Ejaz Aslam, Er. Mohammad Saleem (Secretaries) at the press conference at Jamaat headquarters on 4th August 2012
At today’s monthly media briefing, Jamaat chief also put his viewpoints on various other current issues.
On communal violence in Assam, he expressed grave concern and said the recent ethnic and communal riots in the state “were planned, organized and continued for several days.” He held the Assam government responsible for them.
While offering condolences and sympathies to the families of murdered and the injured people, he demanded that the family of each deceased should be compensated appropriately and the announced compensation i.e. Rs. 2 lakh by the Central Government and Rs. 6 lakhs by the Assam government should be enhanced to be at par with compensation paid to the victims of 1984 Anti Sikh riots.
He condemned efforts of Sangh Parivar to term the violence as clashes between Bodos and illegal Bangladeshi migrants.
“BJP leader Mr L. K. Advani has said that the real problem in Assam is because of the illegal migrants of Bangladesh.it is not only laughable but also pouring oil on fire to instigate it as 1983 situation. The Jamaat thinks that solid facts and endorsement of the central and state government confirms that the Bengali speaking people of the disturbed areas are out and out Indians. They have been living there for more than 200 years.”
“The Jamaat also thinks that the Bodo Pact of 2003 is not based on justice because under it in Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) proper representation to Muslims, Santhalis and others, who form 73% of the area, has not been given. Therefore the government should take into confidence all segments of population in these areas and solve the relevant problems, expedite rehabilitation and restore and establish peace on solid foundations. This is also a must that the persons responsible for atrocities should be dealt with firmly and punished so that such shameful incidents are not repeated in future.”
He also condemned atrocities on Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar and demanded the government of India to provide help and shelter to the victims who are coming here as refugee.
“Jamaat-e-Islami Hind strongly condemns the continuous atrocities on Rohingia Muslims of Mayanmar and states that the attitude of Mayanmar government in this regard is inhuman and against all international laws and conventions. The Jamaat demands that the atrocities should be stopped forthwith and the rights of Rohingias should be fully protected because they are citizens of that country and have been living there for centuries. The Jamaat demands that the United Nations should intervene and ensure that the Mayanmar Government takes positive steps in this regard. The Jamaat also hopes that the Government of India would follow the norms of human sympathy and broadmindedness and provide help and facilities to Rohingias who have taken refuge in our country and at the same time would prevail upon government of Mayanmar to normalise the situation there and stop the atrocities.”
On Akbarabadi Masjid issue, he urged the government to restore the mosque. “This mosque bore the brunt of British tyranny and was demolished by them in 1857 during the first war of independence because it was a centre of freedom struggle in addition to a place of prayers and education. Because of its historical role this mosque should have been rebuilt after independence of the country and the government should have rendered all possible help in this effort.”
He, however, urged Muslims for “peaceful struggle for the restoration of the mosque with patience, wisdom and collective endeavours.”