By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Washington DC: Indian American Muslim Council, an organization of non-resident Indians that is dedicated to “safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos,” has written to the Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis regarding threats to well-known Muslim activist and Jamiat leader Maulana Gulzar Azmi.
Social activist and Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind Legal Cell secretary Gulzar A. Azmi has lodged a complaint with the Mumbai police alleging death threats from the mafia. Along with mafia Ravi Pujari, he also named Bharatiya Janata Party Mumbai president Ashish Shelar who had recently accused him of allegedly harbouring links with the mafia and terrorists in the complaint.
Gulzar Azmi, General Secretary, Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra (File photo)
On behalf of the IAMC, Ahsan Khan wrote to the CM, “We are deeply alarmed and anguished by media reports of threats made to Maulana Gulzar Azmi.”
Maulana Gulzar Azmi is the Secretary of the Legal Cell of Jamiat-Ulema-e-Hind, a socio-religious organization that is one of the most prominent Muslim NGOs in India.
He reminded the CM that there have been countless cases of Muslim youth being detained under trumped up charges of terrorism across India. Just recently, the Supreme Court acquitted all three accused in the Akshardham blasts case, in which one accused had been sentenced to death by the Gujarat High Court. In this, and many other cases, it was the legal assistance provided by Jamiat-Ulema Hind that enabled the accused to defend themselves successfully in court, and prove their innocence.
“Clearly such activisms, on the part of JUH, to defend both innocent Hindu and Muslim youth, have raised hackles among vested interest. It is not surprising therefore that the BJP MLA Mr. Azmi has accused of being behind the death threats, had earlier called for a ban on JUH,” Khan noted, adding, “JUH is not just a social services organization, but an organization of “Ulema” or individuals who have undergone rigorous religious training. JUH also played an important role in the struggle for India’s Independence. While Mr. Shelar may take exception to specific positions of the JUH, accusing it of being anti-national and having underworld links is bizarre.”
While demanding full protection by the state, IAMC urged that the threats against his life be taken seriously and requested the Maharashtra CM to institute a full enquiry into the threats made against Mr. Azmi and to ensure that political status does not shield those who would intimidate important civil society institutions.
Noting that the state of Maharashtra, like our nation, is home to people of diverse faiths and ideological inclinations, IAMC President wrote, “We need leadership that will hold the people together and not allow divisiveness to snatch away from us, what we have collectively worked to achieve since Independence.”
The letter tersely reminded the CM that many in his party have made inflammatory statements against minorities and urged him to hold accountable the MLAs in his party who are “engaging in such incendiary tactics”.
Full Text of the Letter written by IAMC to Maharashtra CM
Chief Minister Shri Devendra Fadnavis,
Mantralaya,
Mumbai
December 20, 2014
Subject: Threats to well-known Muslim activist Maulana Gulzar Azmi
Dear Shri Devendra Fadnavis,
I am writing to you on behalf of the Indian American Muslim Council, an organization of non-resident Indians that is dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos.
We are deeply alarmed and anguished by media reports of threats made to Maulana Gulzar Azmi, the Secretary of the Legal Cell of Jamiat-Ulema-e-Hind, a socio-religious organization that is one of the most prominent Muslim NGOs in India. Mr. Azmi has named BJP MLA Mr. Ashish Shelar along with mafia don Mr. Ravi Pujari as individuals behind these threats.
Jamiat-e-Ulema Hind rally (TCN file photo)
As you may know, there have been countless cases of Muslim youth being detained under trumped up charges of terrorism across India. Just recently, the Supreme Court acquitted all three accused in the Akshardham blasts case, in which one accused had been sentenced to death by the Gujarat High Court. In this, and many other cases, it was the legal assistance provided by Jamiat-Ulema Hind that enabled the accused to defend themselves successfully in court, and prove their innocence. Clearly such activism on the part of JUH, to defend both innocent Hindu and Muslim youth, have raised hackles among vested interest. It is not surprising therefore that the BJP MLA Mr. Azmi has accused of being behind the death threats, had earlier called for a ban on JUH. JUH is not just a social services organization, but an organization of “Ulema” or individuals who have undergone rigorous religious training. JUH also played an important role in the struggle for India’s Independence. While Mr. Shelar may take exception to specific positions of the JUH, accusing it of being anti-national and having underworld links is bizarre.
We therefore urge you, to institute a full enquiry into the threats made against Mr. Azmi and to ensure that political status does not shield those who would intimidate important civil society institutions.
Many in your party have made inflammatory statements against minorities. We urge you to hold accountable the MLAs in your party that are engaging in such incendiary tactics. We also believe Mr. Azmi should be given full protection by the state, and the threats against his life be taken seriously.
The state of Maharashtra, like our nation, is home to people of diverse faiths and ideological inclinations. We need leadership that will hold the people together and not allow divisiveness to snatch away from us, what we have collectively worked to achieve since Independence.
Sincerely,
Ahsan Khan
(President, IAMC)
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