Jamat-e-Islami Hind supports Darul Uloom Deoband fatwa

Darul Uloom Deoband on Friday issued a fatwa against chanting of 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'

Jamat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) on Saturday backed the fatwa issued by the Islamic seminary Darul Uloom Deoband against chanting of "Bharat Mata Ki Jai" and claimed that "attempts" to connect incantation of the slogan with patriotism for the country was an "extremely wrong" thing.

Terming the fatwa as "correct", President of the outfit and Islamic scholar Maulana Syed Jalaluddin Umri said that it is "not permissible" for Muslims to chant the slogan.

"There are also chants of 'Bharat Ki Jai' which is accepted by all and there is no dispute about it but saying 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' is not permissible since its against the religion of Muslims," he said.

Umri also viewed attempts to connect the chanting of the slogan with patriotism for the country was an "extremely wrong" thing.

The office bearers of the Islamic organisation also charged that the debate over nationalism is being "raked up" by communal and fascist forces to polarise the society and damage the unity and integrity of the country.

Referring to the upcoming Assembly elections in five states, JIH secretary Mohammad Ahmad said that the organisation has decided to support Congress and AIUDF candidates in Assam.

"We are supporting Congress as a strategy just to stop fascist forces to coming to power in the state. We are supporting 99 Congress and 14 AIUDF candidates," he said.

The organisation also condoled deaths of the people in terror attacks in Brussels and Lahore.

"Those organisations who bear Islamic names are tarnishing the image of Muslims and Islam by such acts. We have appealed to the governments of Belgium and Pakistan to unmask the real perpetrators of the terror attacks," Ahmad said.

The organisation leaders also raised the issue of "framing" of Muslims on charges of terrorism and pointed out that recent acquittals of terror accused Abdul Karim Tunda and Himayat Baig prove they were arrested without sufficient evidence.

"One after another terror accused are being released. All along we have been saying that they were innocent and there were no evidence against them. JIH reiterates its stand that action should be taken against officers concerned since innocent persons suffered as accused of terrorist acts while real perpetrators are free," said JIH secretary general Muhammad Salim Engineer.