Congress must restore Muslim quota in Karnataka, says Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind chief Arshad Madani
Mumbai, May 22: Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind president Maulana Arshad Madani on Monday said the newly-elected Congress government in Karnataka must restore quota on the basis of economic backwardness for Muslims that was withdrawn by the previous Bharatiya Janata Party dispensation under Basavaraj Bommai.
The previous BJP government in the southern state had, in March this year, scrapped four per cent quota for Muslims, which has been challenged in the Supreme Court.
Speaking on the last day of the three-day meet of the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind at Azad Maidan here, Madani said, "The tough stand taken by the Congress in the Karnataka election and the way it promised to ban Bajrang Dal and other similar organizations is commendable.
Now it is time for the Congress to fulfil its election promise and restore reservations given to Muslims on the basis of economic backwardness."
The Karnataka poll results show the people of the state rejected the agenda of hatred, he said, adding the Congress would not have been ousted from power (at the Centre) if it had taken such a strong stand against communalism 75 years ago.
After the assassination of Gandhiji (in 1948), the country would have been saved from destruction if sectarianism was crushed at the time, Madani asserted.
Condemning moves to bring about a Uniform Civil Code in the country, Madani said it was a "conspiracy to take away the religious freedom of the citizens".
"Efforts to promote Hindu revivalism have started under the guise of the new National Education Policy, against which a resolution was passed in the general body meeting of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind," he said.
Madani also demanded formation of separate schools and colleges for Muslim boys and girls to provide high quality education.
In the recently concluded Karnataka polls, results of which were declared on May 13, the Congress swept to power with 135 seats in the 224-member Assembly, leaving the BJP with just 66 seats.
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Flagrant injustice to underprivileged: Mehbooba on govt action against Shopian school
Srinagar (PTI): PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Monday said declaring Dar Ul Uloom Jamia Siraj Ul Uloom in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian an unlawful entity under the UAPA was a "flagrant injustice" to the underprivileged sections of society.
She also alleged that banning such "altruistic institutions" without any solid evidence of anti-national activity "shows a deep seated prejudice and ill intention".
The institution allegedly run by individuals affiliated with a banned organisation has been declared an "unlawful entity" under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
In a post on X, Mehbooba said, "Every single day the j&k government acts as a mute bystander & a timid enabler of vicious assaults on J&Ks identity & dignity. Declaring Dar Ul Uloom Jamia Siraj Ul Uloom as an unlawful entity under UAPA is a flagrant injustice to the poor underprivileged sections of society".
The former chief minister said the institution served as a "beacon of quality education" for students unable to afford expensive schooling.
"It has produced reputed doctors and professionals who served this nation with dedication. Banning these altruistic institutions without any solid evidence of anti national activity shows a deep seated prejudice & ill intention," she added.
Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Anshul Garg issued a two-page order based on the dossier presented by Senior Superintendent of Police Shopian pointing towards the alleged illegal activities at Darul Uloom Jamia Sirajul Uloom at Imam Sahib in Shopian district in south Kashmir.
According to the order issued by Garg on April 24, there were "credible inputs and evidence on record, to indicate sustained and covert linkages of the institution with Jamaat-e-Islami, which the Government of India banned in 2019.
