BHOPAL: A major political storm has erupted after Jamiat Ulama-Hind president Maulana Mahmood Asad Madani, accused the Supreme Court of functioning “under government pressure” and added that “it didn’t deserve to be called as Supreme, if it failed to enforce the Constitution fully.”
Addressing the national governing body meeting of the Deobandi body, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, in Bhopal on Saturday, he said, “Supreme Court is entitled to be called as Supreme only until it upholds the Constitution and the rights enshrined in the law.”
“The court verdicts in the last few years, including those on the Babri Mosque and Triple Talaq, have led to a common belief that the judiciary is working under government pressure. It has put a question mark on the role of the judiciary in the country,” Madani said.
While claiming that attempts aimed at igniting and spreading hatred against Islam and Muslims have intensified, he said that the sacred Islamic concept of Jihad was being intentionally distorted and equated with terrorism.
Muslims are being defamed with terms like Love Jihad, Land Jihad and Spit Jihad. In Islam, the term Jihad implies struggle against injustice and oppression; whenever oppression happens, there will be Jihad."
Madani also opposed government attempts to regulate Waqf properties. “Waqf is a trust created by Muslims. Interference in it will not be tolerated.”
While maintaining that the country’s present situation is concerning, particularly as Muslims are being made to feel insecure. They are being deliberately targeted through economic boycott, bulldozer action, mob lynching and hate campaign. “Full freedom, on the other hand, is being given to certain groups who are indulgent in Ghar Vapasi activities. None is questioning them, nor is any action being initiated against them.”
While referring to the ongoing process of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls, Madani said, “Apni hi basti mein apni hi basti ke log pochote hain kaun si basti ke ho, kya naam hai. Voh SIR bhi chalaya hua hai. (People from the same locality are questioning From which locality are you from? What is your name? The SIR process is also underway.”
He also reiterated the minority community’s opposition to singing the national song Vande Mataram.
Madani’s speech drew a sharp reaction from the ruling BJP. “Maulana Madani has said that the Supreme Court has no right to be called Supreme. The apex court should take suo motu cognisance of this statement by Maulana Madani and conduct a hearing on it,” BJP’s national spokesperson Sambit Patra said.
In Madhya Pradesh, the minister for cooperation, sports and youth welfare, Vishwas Sarang, while condemning Madani’s remarks, said, “Disrespecting the Constitution and attacking the Supreme Court is unfortunate. If you are living in India, you need to abide by the Constitution. You eat from this land but sing for someone else, will not be tolerated.”
