Muslim scholars, youths appeal to govt to involve them in national security policy

The Muslim Students Organisation of India (MSOI), a conglomerate of Muslim students and youths in India, appealed to the government to involve the community's youth in national security policy and cautioned about certain extremist ideologies which led to terrorism.

At a day-long conference held here yesterday, Muslim scholars and youths deliberated about the issues faced by the community, stressing that efforts should be made to maintain social harmony. They also favoured the implementation of the Sufi spiritual experiments in this context, a release issued by the MSOI said.

Mufti Ashfaq Hussain, the president of Tanzeem Ulama-E-Islam and the president of the assembly, said the country and the world were under serious threat from certain extremist ideologies which led to terrorism.

"If the Indian government wants to understand, we can help them. The love of Muslims increases with the country while it gets a share in the policy. Participation in the policy should be considered than participation in power because the policy is regulated frequently," he said.

Convener of the conference and editor of Kanzul Iman, Maulana Zafruddin Barkati, said the nature of India was rooted in unity in diversity. Therefore, the challenge of communal elements in front of the country could not be underestimated.

"Every community should deal with it, in which the best is the Sufi ideology among Muslims," he said.

Syed Muhammad Qadri, chief speaker and former president of the organisation, said India was a pluralistic country and the youths could play the most important role in maintaining its unity.

"An environment is being created in the country most of the time that Indian Muslims are not responsible citizens, whereas our claim is that the inclusion of Muslims in the national security policy will be an accurate assessment of the role of Muslim youths towards national unity," he said.

Shahnawaz Ahmad Malik Warsi of the Aligarh Muslim University, Kerala Center, said the challenges facing human rights and social justice in the country were being taken seriously in the society.

In the conference, the MSOI presented a six-point report on the issues related to the security of the country, social justice, terrorism and fundamentalism, employment and skill management, social programs and environment.

Those present in the conference included Qari Sageer Rizvi, Maulana Abdul Wahid, Imran Qureshi, MSOI Delhi State Secretary Saqib Barkati, Mumtaz Attari, as well as students from Delhi University, Jamia Milia Islamia, Jawaharlal Nehru University.