By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net,
Maulana Mohammad Tahir Madani, founding member of Uttar Pradesh Ulema Council, member of All India Muslim Majlise Mushawarat and Principal of renowned madrasa Jamiatul Falah sees arresting of Azamgarh Muslim youths in terrorism cases as part of a conspiracy. He talks to Mumtaz Alam Falahi of TwoCircles.net on the issue.
In the last few months scores of Muslim youths hailing from Azamgarh have been arrested in the course of terror probes. Are some of them involved in terrorism or it is just a conspiracy against Azamgarh Muslims?
I think there is a big conspiracy behind the arresting of Azamgarh youths. Azamgarh has long been centre of education. The place has given birth to several movements. There are big academic institutions there. Of late, the new generation of the district has come out for higher modern and technical education. The recent development is part of conspiracy to malign the city and its Muslim population and to spoil the future of the Muslim youths.
Do you think radical Hindu elements could be behind the conspiracy?
Yes, it’s true. And the history is replete with instances when Sangh Parivar and communal forces have always targeted places where Muslims are well off and doing progress in the field of education and economy. This they do to weaken the community educationally and financially. Azamgarh is the latest victim of that conspiracy.
Can you deny that despite being financially sound as hundreds of them have gone abroad to earn money, Azamgarh Muslims have not spent much on public welfare, on modern education of women and on opening technical institutes?
It’s true that till recently they did not give much attention to education but in the last 10-15 years people became more aware about the importance of education. Now they are not only pushing their children to higher education they are also opening educational institutes in the district. I think it is because of this educational progress of local Muslims that they have been targeted.
The arresting of Talha Amir, son of Maulana Amir Rashadi, convenor of Ulema Council, seems to have again marred the situation that was getting normal. People who were feeling peace are again gripped with fear.
This arresting has caused large scale protest in Azamgarh and other parts of Uttar Pradesh. Talha Amir, an employee of Wipro, was going to Hyderabad and he was picked from Nagpur station on December 21. He has been implicated in false cases. People think that the arresting is just to silence his father Maulana Amir Rashadi.