New Delhi:Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind chief Maulana Arshad Madani’s remarks on alleged discrimination against Muslims, citing the example of Al Falah University, which is under scanner in the Delhi blast probe, sparked a row with the BJP on Sunday when he said the “aatanki bachao (save the terrorist) jamaat” had become active.
Madani argued that while Zohran Mamdani was elected mayor of New York and Khan could become mayor of London, Muslims in India could not even become vice-chancellors of universities.
“The world thinks that Muslims have been crippled and finished. I don’t believe that. Today a Muslim Mamdani can become mayor of New York, Khan can become mayor of London; while in India no one can even become a university vice-chancellor,” he said at a meeting at the Jamiat headquarters here on Saturday.
“And even if someone does, he will be sent to jail, like Azam Khan. Look at what is happening to Al Falah today. He (the founder) is in jail and no one knows how many years he will be in jail,” Madani said.
The government is working tirelessly to ensure that Muslims never raise their heads, says the head of one of the Jamiat’s two factions.
BJP leaders criticized Madani for the remarks and accused him of giving a common color to the Delhi blast probe.
Ruling party spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said, “In the name of vote bank, ‘bhaijann of appeasement’ and ‘aatanki bachao jamaat (group to save terrorists)’ have become active.”
“Arshade Madani ji, let’s leave aside the talk of mayor; this country has seen Muslims become president, vice president, chief justice, interior minister. The greatest artists and businessmen are also from the Muslim community.”
“When there is an act of terrorism, those people who say that terrorism has no religion start advocating on behalf of terrorists on the basis of religion,” he told PTI Videos.
Poonawalla also said, “That’s why I say there are spin doctors of terrorism behind the terrorism doctor. And these spin doctors are not just Arshad Madani but others like P Chidambaram ji who said that circumstances make a terrorist.”
“Hussain Dalwai says they were the ones who suffered injustice. Imran Masood tells them they are misguided youth… Mehbooba Mufti and her daughter are also playing the card of Islamophobia,” he said.
“Whenever a terrorist is caught, they leave ‘vote bank neeti’ over ‘rashtriya neeti’ and come to the defense of terrorism,” claimed Poonawalla.
Responding to Madani’s remarks, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “In India, APJ Abdul Kalam who became president is an icon for Muslims. He always held his head high. Why make others an icon?”
BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain slammed Arshad Madani’s statement as “very irresponsible”.
“He is an elder and should remember that Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind contributed to the freedom movement. He is defaming Hindustan with these words,” Hussain said.
Al Falah University became the focus of several security agencies after the explosion near the Red Fort on November 10, as there was a professor of medicine, Dr. Umar Un Nabi “suicide bomber”. In addition, Dr. worked at the university. Mujammil Shakeel, from whose rented accommodation in Faridabad, more than 2,900 kg of explosives were recovered.
Last Monday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted searches at 25 locations in Delhi and Faridabad as part of a money laundering probe in connection with the ongoing blast investigation.
The central agency also arrested Jawad Ahmed Siddiqui, the founder and chairman of Al Falah University, in a separate case involving alleged financial irregularities, forged accreditation documents and misuse of institutional funds. Siddiqui was remanded in ED custody for 13 days.
The Delhi Police Crime Branch has already registered two FIRs against the university – one for cheating and the other for forgery-related offences. The Association of Indian Universities (AIU) revoked Al Falah’s membership.
