By TCN Staff Reporter,
New Delhi: Taking notice of The Hindu’s senior correspondent Praveen Swami’s recent article, “Islamism, Modernity and Indian Mujahideen”, Jamaat e Islami Hind may move court. In a letter written to the Editor of The Hindu English daily, Jamaat’s media coordinator Dr. S Q R Ilyas said, “If this policy of maligning Muslim Organisations especially Jamaat e Islami Hind is continued, we will be left with no other alternative but to seek legal remedy”.
On 23rd March 2010, in an article titled “Islamism, Modernity and Indian Mujahideen”, citing Dr. Irfan Ahmad’s book, Islamism and Democracy in India:
The Transformation of Jamaat-e-Islami, Praveen Swami wrote, “…the frictions between the Jamaat-e-Islami establishment and SIMI at the Jamaat-e-Islami run Jamiat-ul- Falah seminary in Azamgarh. Founded by the Jamaat-e-Islami to capitalize on the new political space that opened up after the emergency, SIMI soon embarrassed the party’s elders by its support for Jehadists”.
However, Jamaat leadership considers these allegations as ridiculous and misleading. “It is to be noted that, Mr. Swami has consistent record of maligning the Muslim organizations in general and Jamaat e Islami Hind in particular. The present article is just one example,” S Q R Ilyas told TCN. “Jamaat e Islami Hind has a track record of peaceful and constructive activities; its mode of functioning has been entirely transparent and above board,” he asserts.