By A Mirsab,TwoCircles.net
Mumbai: Raising evident doubts over the genuineness of the reconciliation efforts between the two factions of Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind, led by uncle-nephew duo Arshad Madani and Mahmood Madani, a former Rajya Sabha member, both the factions continue to blame each other for false claims over cases defended by them.
The most respected Muslim NGO in India Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind saw a split in2007 due to controversy over leadership between Maulana Mahmood and Maulana Arshad, who incidentally happen to be nephew and uncle.
Maulana Mahmood Madani
Ever since their split, the two groups started to work independent of each other and took up cases of communal riots and terrorism where innocent Muslims were arrested on false charges. Both factions work under the same acronym of Jamiat Ulama-E-Hind with additional extension as Mahmood (M) or Arshad (A) Madani and raise funds from the community by exhibiting their yearly work.
Every year, before reaching out to donors both factions publishes their yearly report where they list number of cases defended by their team with brief details of each case. This year too they published such reports.
The blame game began in Ramadan when Arshad Madani group clarified in Mumbai’s Urdu daily accusing Mahmood Madani’s group of falsely claiming in its annual report that it is defending certain accused in Aurangabad arms haul and Indian Mujahideen cases. Arshad Madani group claimed that Aurangabad armshaul case was being looked after by it since 2007 and Mahmood Madani group has no stake in claiming credit of the case.
Maulana Arshad Madani
Arshad Madani group also accused that there were only two accused in Mumbai’s Indian Mujahideen case that “Mahmood Madani group is defending but in its report it was giving misinformation and falsely claiming credit for defending all the accused of the case.”
Speaking with TwoCircles.net, Gulzar Azmi, Arshad Madani group’s legal secretary from Maharashtra told, “We have been defending all the accused of Aurangabad arms haul case since 2007 and have even secured bail for nine accused. The case is into its finality and now Mahmood’s group is falsely claiming credit of whole case based on a bail application of one accused Azeem, whose bail they are following before the High Court.”
“We had filed Azeem’s bail twice but it was rejected. When we declined him for filing bail third time, he went to Mahmood’s group. It is sad that they are claiming credit although it is our team that is tirelessly working to secure release of youths,” he added.
On questioning about controversy in other case, Azmi told, “There are only three accused from Mumbai’s IM case that Mahmood group is defending but their report claims whole case they are defending. This case too we are looking after since 2008. In addition to this, we are also defending all IM cases in Mumbai, Gujarat, Hyderabad and Delhi.”
“Ask them, have they ever appeared for Gujarat or Delhi or Hyderabad cases for the innocents?” Azmi questioned.
The merger move was accepted by Mahmood group after passing a resolution at its Executive Committee meeting held on Thursday in Delhi. Afterwards Mahmood Madani and some of his associates attended an Eid Milan hosted by Arshad Madani in Delhi proposing reconciliation.
When Azmi was asked if the differences will be resolved once the reconciliation that is in progress succeed, he told, “It was Maulana Mahmood who had rebelled and hence if they are determined to settlement, then they should accept Maulana Arshad as Amir (president).We are happy to work together but there is only one way to settle the differences as I said they should accept him (Arshad) as Amir.”
The settlement is a process where both parties soften their demands to reach amicable solution. Now that Mahmood group has initiated to resolve the difference, Azmi strongly suspect it to be merely a show off to go on record.
“On January 30 this year,the Delhi High Court ordered in our favour on the dispute of assumption of Jamiat’s office. Mahmood group appealed against this order before double bench that asked to reconcile. The next hearing before double bench is on July 30 and just to show this court that they made attempt for settlement they are now going on record,” Azmi explained.
“If they are so serious then why such attempt just before court hearing?” he questioned.
Azmi appeared to be in no mood to mend their demand and hence reconciliation is likely to fail with the differences likely to continue, or most likely increase, as both the groups have now indulged into ridiculing each other and blaming each other.
In order to seek Mahmood Madani group’s explanation on the allegations raised by Azmi TwoCircles.net spoke with Maulana Nadeem Siddique, secretary of Mahmood faction from Maharashtra. He told, “Our legal panel headed by Advocate Pracha and Advocate Pathan are untiringly representing innocents throughout the country. It is wrong to undermine their efforts. As far as allegations raised by Azmi Sahib are concerned, I would say we do represent some accused in Aurangabad arms haul and Mumbai’s IM cases.”
On questioning why did his group not respond or provide explanation when Arshad’s group published allegations against them in an Urdu daily, he told,“There was no need to provide clarification and extend the dispute. We know we are defending many accused in both the cases and still some more vakalatnama from 4-5 accused in the case are pending with us. There is absolutely no need to respond to their allegations”.
When asked on the genuineness of their initiative to resolve the differences at higher lever, he told, “It is indeed a genuine attempt looking at the changed political and other realities in India. I myself was in the meeting when we passed the resolution of reconciliation and met Maulana Arshad”.
Though Siddique claims and is hopeful of settlement but the attitude shown by Azmi reflects that they are not thinking on that line as they enjoy Delhi High Court’s favor of a claim on Jamiat’s head office.
Donors disappointed
The growing feud between the groups is worrying the donors from the community who regularly donate Zakat or Sadaqah to either of the group considering their struggle to release innocent youths spending years behind bars.
Shakil Ahmed, an educationist from Nashik district who regularly donates to Jamiat, expressed sadness over Jamiat dispute. He told:“I was shocked when I read in newspaper that one Jamiat group raised allegations against other for false claims. I got confused and sought explanation from my local Jamiat contact to know the genuineness of their work. They must resolve their differences, work together and focus mainly on the community issues than competing with each other.”
Such reactions were common from many donors from the state who read in newspaper or came to know about the recent dispute from other sources.
Advocate Wakeel Shaikh from Mumbai feels such differences that too in the month of Ramadan poured fuel into the ongoing fight and those who were against Jamiat made full use of the enmity.
“I happened to be the part of the group that was discussing on the role of different Muslims organizations in India when those who have bitter opinion for Jamiat showed cutting of newspaper where Arshad group rejected annual report published by Mahmood group and said both groups are misleading the community and focusing mainly on raising fund,” he said.
A young businessman Khalid Shaikh from Vidarbha was not aware of the dispute when he donated his zakat to Jamiat. After knowing the dispute, he said, “I was told that they provide legal help to the innocents who have been falsely arrested by police. I thought this is the best way to help through donation. But after donating, I was told by other group that came seeking donation from me that Jamiat groups are fighting and rejecting each other’s claims of defending the accused. That is when I felt cheated.”
With the cause getting lost between the growing enmity of Jamiat factions, the main victims are going to be the innocent youths in whose name the two groups are collecting donation.