By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Mumbai: Concerned about the apparent rise of extremism among students, Students Islamic Organisation of India (SIO) has kicked-off a campaign to encourage younger generation to adopt a more constructive mindset.
The 10-day ‘We for Constructive Thoughts’ statewide campaign, which began on Saturday, will address issues such as communalism, intolerance and self-centredness. During this period, the activists of SIO are planning to take Islam’s message of moderation and balanced thinking to the campuses across the state.
“The domestic unrest and global turmoil has given way to hatred towards other communities. It spells doom for a pluralistic society like India. If we are to progress economically and socially, the student community needs to have a more balanced and moderate approach,” said Anwar Shaikh, State president, SIO (South Maharashtra).
He added that people can have difference of opinion on matters of importance based on their respective ideologies and they should be free to propagate their views as long as they are tolerant towards others’.
SIO also targeted the self-centredness of the youths and students by calling it yet another kind of extremism. “Many of us seem unable to think beyond our own individual lives. We hardly care about the poor, the hungry and the old,” said the organisation’s Mumbai president Mohammed Salman.
SIO hopes to make students interested and engaged in affairs of the nation, through its campaign.
Mohammed Ali Shaikh, State PR Secretary, SIO (South Maharashtra) informed that they will meet with educators, government officials and even political leaders to gather support for the movement. “We also plan to hold corner meets, street plays and lectures for the students,” he said.
Established in 1982, SIO is the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind.