New Delhi, Oct 28 The VHP on Wednesday accused Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind president Maulana Arshad Madani of “provoking” Muslims by claiming that ‘azan’ will again resonate from mosques demolished in the country.
The reaction came a day after Madani, addressing a conference of Rabta-e-Madaris Islamia at the Darul Uloom Deoband campus in Saharanpur, voiced concern over what he described as growing communalism and the targeting of mosques, madrasas and other religious institutions.
Citing the example of the erstwhile Soviet Union, Madani said attempts had been made there for a long time to suppress religious activities and symbols of Islam, but faith could not be erased from the hearts of Muslims.
He said after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, mosques are flourishing and the call to prayer is heard in several countries that became independent from it.
Madani said it is his religious belief that once a mosque is built, its religious status does not end even if its structure is demolished.
Responding to the remarks, Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) central joint general secretary Surendra Jain accused Madani of threatening India’s unity by drawing a parallel with the Soviet Union’s disintegration.
“Hardline Muslim leader Arshad Madani has once again threatened to break India into pieces. This time, he has said that India will be divided just like the Soviet Union,” Jain said in a video statement.
He said Madani has no understanding of history, adding that the Soviet Union disintegrated due to internal political reasons.
“Some global powers might have played a role, but Islam has nothing to do with it,” he added.
Jain alleged Madani wants to create unrest in India and provoke the Muslim community.
“Can you not understand what is happening to Muslims in China and Myanmar? You want to create such unrest in India and provoke the Muslim community here. This is not in the interest of the Muslim community either,” Jain said.
The VHP leader alleged that Hindu temples were demolished and public land was encroached upon to build illegal mosques and mazars, adding that such encroachments are being removed on the orders of the judiciary.
“If you have any grievance, why don’t you approach the court? By provoking people instead of approaching the court, you are making it clear that you have no faith in the Constitution or the Indian judiciary,” he said.
Jain accused Madani of following in the footsteps of foreign Muslim invaders and repeatedly threatening another partition of India.
“Today, India has a strong government and a strong society. The events of 1947 cannot be repeated. The people of this country know how to give a befitting reply to every anti-national conspiracy,” he said.
Appealing to Muslims not to fall for the “provocations” of leaders like Madani, Jain accused them of using religious issues to further their political interests while keeping the community backward.
“My appeal to the Muslim community in India is not to fall into the trap laid by leaders like Madani. They are living lives of luxury and possess immense wealth worth crores of rupees. By dangling the lure of religious conflict before the rest of the Muslim community, they want to keep it backward so that their dirty politics can continue,” he said.
He also criticised Madani’s “anti-Hindu, anti-Constitution and anti-India” activities, asserting that such actions will neither be accepted by the people nor succeed.
“I want to make it clear to leaders like Madani that their days are over. The people of this country will neither accept nor allow such anti-Hindu, anti-Constitution and anti-India activities to succeed,” he added.
(PTI News)
