By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net,
New Delhi: Minority witch hunting in the name of terrorism is unacceptable, Congress party has failed in protecting minorities and there is a need for political change, said speakers at a convention entitled “communalism and terror free India” in New Delhi today.
Communist Party of India leader D Raja said questioning patriotism of Muslims is a disservice to the country. He further said religion should not be identified with terrorism and Islam has nothing to do with terrorism.
Janata Dal (S) leader and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda warned: “If present situation continued it will destroy Democratic Republic of India.”
“I can never believe Muslims are involved in terrorism in India. But RSS, Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad are involved in heinous acts in Karnataka,” he said referring to recent attacks on Christians there.
He said there is a conspiracy between Congress and BJP to destroy regional secular parties.
CPM leader Sitaram Yechury also condemned community bashing in the garb of terrorism.
“Muslims are not involved in terrorist attacks and violence in the country” he said while referring to violence in Maharashtra, Orissa, Karnataka and bomb blasts in Delhi and Ahmedabad.
To change the situation there is a need for a political change, he said.
Earlier inaugurating the convention Dr Zafarul Islam Khan, president of All India Muslim Majlise Mushawarat said the convention has nothing to do with coming elections.
The committee was formed to fight allegations of terrorism against Muslims and this will go on, he said.
He expressed apprehension that demonization of Muslims in the name of terrorism will push to community to terrorism.
Lambasting the Congress party Dr. Khan said: “Congress did not work to implement Ranganath Mishra Commission report which calls for reservation for Muslims.” The Congress-led UPA government at the centre worked a little on Sachar Committee report, he added.
Continuing his attack on Congress he said Muslim bashing began in BJP rule and continued in Congress rule.
The Congress government has begun exposing Hindu hands in some blasts just because elections are round the corner. Yet, the party will not go to the end as they fear Hindu backlash in coming elections, he continued.
While demanded white paper on the issue he said people should come up to save secularism and democracy otherwise the situation will push it to civil war.
Shahid Siddiqi, General Secretary of Bahujan Samaj Party, said minorities are the victims of silent conspiracy designed by the powerful forces existing in two major political parties. He said Muslims and other minorities should approach United Nations Human Rights Commission for protection of their rights.
Shahid Siddiqi turned coat apparently on the issue of Indo-US nuclear deal a couple of months ago. He was in Samajwadi Party.
The overwhelming tone of the convention was that the Congress should go as it has failed on expectations of minorities.
All prominent leaders of secular parties were invited to the convention. Those who could not appear included Lalu Prasad Yadav, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Ram Vilas Paswan and Chandra Babu Naidu.
No Congress leader was invited to the convention.
Congress leaders were not invited as they have failed on expectations by minorities particularly Muslims, said Dr Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind leader.
Muslims are being demonized, innocents are picked, communal riots are on in Congress-ruled states, he said.
The convention was held under the aegis of the Co-ordination Committee for Indian Muslims formed in September to fight allegations of terrorism against Muslims. The committee is represented by leading Muslim organizations: All India Muslim Majlis-e Mushawarat, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, All India Milli Council and Jamiat Ahl-e Hadees.
Members of Students Islamic Organization of India (SIO) were seen roaming in and around the auditorium with T-shirts that read: “shoot us at point blank”, “kya pata kab banadiya jaon mai mastermind.” They also conducted mock encounters.
The Muslim leaders present on the occasion included Maulana Syed Jalaluddin Umri, president of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Abdul Hameed Nomani, Acting Gen. Secretary of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, Maulana Mahmoodul Hasan, State President of Jamiat Ahle Hadees, Prof. Mohammed Sulaiman, President of Indian National League, Maulana Abdul Wahab Khilji, Asst. General Secretary of All India Milli Council, Maulana Zeeshan Hidayati of Idare Fikr-o-Amal, Bishruddin Sharqi, National President of SIO and Dr. Taslim Rahmani of Political Council of India.