By TCN News,
New Delhi: Jamaat-e-Islami Hind on Saturday expressed dissatisfaction with the performance of the BJP government at the centre and said the Narendra Modi government has “failed rather miserably on almost every front” in its first year.
Addressing monthly press conference at the headquarters of Jamaat here in New Delhi, Nusrat Ali, Vice President of Jamaat said: “We are not satisfied with his one year performance. Communal tension has increased across the country – incidents in Atali village of Haryana and Nagaur district in Haryana – are the latest example.”
JIH office bearers during a four day session of the Central Advisory Council
One year of Modi government
“During the last one year the social structure of the country has been badly affected and the communal atmosphere in the country has been spoiled totally. Provocative statements, venomous slogans and communal riots have poisoned the atmosphere in the country,” said Jamaat in a resolution passed at the end of 4-day session of its highest advisory body Central Advisory Council. A copy of the 3-page resolutions on national and international issues was provided to media persons at the press conference.
Jamaat said the BJP government is executing its saffron anti-minority agenda.
Jamaat said it is “concerned that the BJP dispensation has started working fast on its real agenda. Attempts at ghar wapsi, allegations of love jihad, the demand to give the Gita the status of national book, attempt to drop the words ‘secular’ and ‘socialist’ from the Constitution of the country and the constant attacks on mosques and churches have grown the feeling of insecurity in minorities.”
Imposition of one religious culture on the country
“During the last one year many communal incidents, small or big, erupted in the length and breadth of the country, the process of which is going on. Saffronisation of education is on in a planned manner, whereby Surya Namaskar, Gita Parvachan, Saraswati Vandana and Yoga are being implemented in schools. On the other hand, extraordinary modifications are being effected in the system of education and textbooks which has put a question mark on the cultural and religious freedom.”
While condemning attempts of BJP to impose one religious culture on the country, Mohammad Salim Engineer, Secretary General of Jamaat, mentioned the recent order of BJP government of Rajasthan whereby it made Suraya Namaskar and Saraswati Vandana compulsory in schools.
“What is dangerous is imposition of a particular culture on all. Such things have been practiced by a section of the society but they were never made compulsory for all. Kindly do not impose one religious culture on all,” he urged the government.
Giving a brief detail about Jamaat’s plan to counter the saffron moves to vitiate communal harmony in the country, Nusrat Ali said: “Jamaat will set up Sadbhavana Manch at lower levels across the country. A team comprising religious leaders from different religions will jointly visit areas to strengthen communal harmony. Jamaat will promote and expand Forum for Democracy and Communal Amity (a body which Jamaat had formed two decades ago).”
When asked about PM Modi’s proposed visit to Israel, Jamaat leader Nusrat Ali said: “Jamaat is sad to hear about his Israel visit but not surprised. We oppose his visit. We also opposed the growing strategic relations between India and Israel. We will harm our own country by making relations with Israel.”
SBI Shariah Mutual Fund
On the postponement of SBI Shariah Mutual Fund, Jamaat said: “The opportunity the Minority population and those living on the borderline were getting to invest their savings was rescinded. The NRIs living abroad especially in Gulf countries who were waiting for this Fund restlessly and wanted to participate in the construction and development of the country were deprived of this opportunity.” Jamaat demanded the Government to issue forthwith this suspended Mutual Fund.
Commenting on the issue, T Arif Ali, Vice President of Jamaat said: “The government should take a political decision about allowing Islamic banking and opening interest-free windows at commercial banks in India.