NEW DELHI: The Deoband
seminary, which has stayed out of Kashmir politics, will host a gathering
of Muslim clerics and scholars on October 4 to discuss Kashmir
in the backdrop of renewed violence in the Valley. The conference is an
initiative by the Jamiat-Ulama-i-Hind
(JuH), first-of-its-kind by a Muslim religious organization in the country,
said the group's leader Maulana Mahmood Madani.
"The ulema will meet to evolve a peaceful and unanimous civilian response to the Kashmir crisis," he said.
But dragging Deoband into Kashmir wasn't being welcomed. "It could create a perception that Kashmir is a religious issue," said Arshad Alam, assistant professor, Jamia Millia Islamia University. He feared it could create a wedge between communities. "A message could go out that Kashmiris are facing repression because they are Muslims. It could foist a monolithic identity on a heterogenous Muslim community," he said. Sociologist Imtiaz Ahmad said, "A religious initiative on Kashmir issue is not desirable."
Madani says Deoband is just a venue and no symbolism should be attached. "We couldn't find a venue in Delhi due to the Commonwealth Games. On October 30, we will hold a rally at Delhi's Ram Lila Maidan where we'll invite like-minded people from all communities and civil society groups."
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In the first such initiative by a mainstream
Muslim outfit, the Jamiat-Ulama-i-Hind is set to assemble around 10,000 Islamic
scholars and clerics at Darul-uloom Deoband in the first week of next month to
give a call for peace in Kashmir, and to seek protection of the “democratic and
human rights” of Kashmiris. "The ulema will meet to evolve a peaceful and unanimous civilian response to the Kashmir crisis," he said.
But dragging Deoband into Kashmir wasn't being welcomed. "It could create a perception that Kashmir is a religious issue," said Arshad Alam, assistant professor, Jamia Millia Islamia University. He feared it could create a wedge between communities. "A message could go out that Kashmiris are facing repression because they are Muslims. It could foist a monolithic identity on a heterogenous Muslim community," he said. Sociologist Imtiaz Ahmad said, "A religious initiative on Kashmir issue is not desirable."
Madani says Deoband is just a venue and no symbolism should be attached. "We couldn't find a venue in Delhi due to the Commonwealth Games. On October 30, we will hold a rally at Delhi's Ram Lila Maidan where we'll invite like-minded people from all communities and civil society groups."
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Islamic scholars and clerics of “all shades of opinion and schools of thought” would be invited for the conference to be held on October 4, which would be on the lines of a conclave it had organised two years ago at the end of which some 6,000 clerics had issued a joint fatwa against terrorism.
This was decided at a meeting of the working committee of the Jamiat here on Sunday.
One of
the country’s leading Islamic organisations and an influential voice of
Deobandi ulema, the Jamiat hopes to rally support for the people of Kashmir
through the conference and at the same time send a powerful message that
Kashmir is an integral part of India
and peace has to be restored through dialogue with all stakeholders
Jamiat would be inviting around 10,000
Muslim scholars and clerics of all schools of thought and shades of opinion at
Darul-uloom for the conclave.
This was decided at a meeting of the national executive of the Jamiat, chaired by Maulana Qari Mohammad Usman Mansoorpuri, in Delhi yesterday.
The meeting was called to discuss deteriorating situation of Kashmir and to formulate strategy for restoration of peace and help in alleviating the suffering of innocent people, according to a Jamiat statement sent to Kashmir Observer.
While expressing its concern over the killing of innocent citizen including woman and children in Kashmir in what it called was the unrestrained firing by the police and CRPF claiming more than 100 human lives, Jamiat said it would look at the issue from humanitarian, Islamic and moral viewpoints.
”We should first look at the problem as a common citizen who is committed to humane and democratic values. Unless we are sensitive to the suffering of common people of Kashmir we have no right to meddle in their affairs”, Jamiat said.
"The people of Kashmir have been fed up with prolonged curfew, bandhs. They are deprived of essential commodities and medicines. Their business and factories are shut down. Their children are unable to attend to schools”.
“Keeping these circumstances in mind, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind has decided to hold Kashmir Conference at Deoband on October 4 to evolve a peaceful and unanimous civilian response to this crisis ", said Maulana Mahmood Madani, leader of Jamiat and Rajya Sabha MP.
”We must understand and respect their legitimate aspirations. This alone, we believe, can create space for reconciliation and bring an end to the turmoil and conflict prevalent in the valley”, the statement said.
”Steps to repress their voice would not bring any solution; instead it would complicate the situation further, working committee of Jamiat felt.
Senior Jamiat leader Maulana Niaz Farooqui said there would be a joint declaration by the ulema at the end of the conference, talking about humanitarian and religious angles.
He said the declaration would not talk about political package or initiative. “That is not our subject. We will confine ourselves to humanitarian and Islamic aspects,” Farooqui said.
Following this conference he said Jamiat would also send a high level delegation to Kashmir to establish people-to-people contact there and also to express solidarity with them.
The Jamiat has also decided to hold a public conference at Ram Lila Grounds in New Delhi on October 30 against the ongoing violence in the Valley.
”We will launch countrywide awareness campaign and to sensitize all sections of civil society about the suffering and problems of common people and how it threatens our democratic polity”, Jamiat said adding the party shall seek cooperation of all Organizations and leaders cutting across religious, social and political affiliations
This was decided at a meeting of the national executive of the Jamiat, chaired by Maulana Qari Mohammad Usman Mansoorpuri, in Delhi yesterday.
The meeting was called to discuss deteriorating situation of Kashmir and to formulate strategy for restoration of peace and help in alleviating the suffering of innocent people, according to a Jamiat statement sent to Kashmir Observer.
While expressing its concern over the killing of innocent citizen including woman and children in Kashmir in what it called was the unrestrained firing by the police and CRPF claiming more than 100 human lives, Jamiat said it would look at the issue from humanitarian, Islamic and moral viewpoints.
”We should first look at the problem as a common citizen who is committed to humane and democratic values. Unless we are sensitive to the suffering of common people of Kashmir we have no right to meddle in their affairs”, Jamiat said.
"The people of Kashmir have been fed up with prolonged curfew, bandhs. They are deprived of essential commodities and medicines. Their business and factories are shut down. Their children are unable to attend to schools”.
“Keeping these circumstances in mind, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind has decided to hold Kashmir Conference at Deoband on October 4 to evolve a peaceful and unanimous civilian response to this crisis ", said Maulana Mahmood Madani, leader of Jamiat and Rajya Sabha MP.
”We must understand and respect their legitimate aspirations. This alone, we believe, can create space for reconciliation and bring an end to the turmoil and conflict prevalent in the valley”, the statement said.
”Steps to repress their voice would not bring any solution; instead it would complicate the situation further, working committee of Jamiat felt.
Senior Jamiat leader Maulana Niaz Farooqui said there would be a joint declaration by the ulema at the end of the conference, talking about humanitarian and religious angles.
He said the declaration would not talk about political package or initiative. “That is not our subject. We will confine ourselves to humanitarian and Islamic aspects,” Farooqui said.
Following this conference he said Jamiat would also send a high level delegation to Kashmir to establish people-to-people contact there and also to express solidarity with them.
The Jamiat has also decided to hold a public conference at Ram Lila Grounds in New Delhi on October 30 against the ongoing violence in the Valley.
”We will launch countrywide awareness campaign and to sensitize all sections of civil society about the suffering and problems of common people and how it threatens our democratic polity”, Jamiat said adding the party shall seek cooperation of all Organizations and leaders cutting across religious, social and political affiliations
RAKESH K SINGH | New Delhi
The Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind (JUH) has convened a conference at Deoband early next month of all the Muslim sects to evolve a consensus over the Kashmir situation and express solidarity with the community in the Valley. The JUH also plans to send a delegation to the Valley.
While major Muslim bodies have so far refrained from interfering with the sensitive Kashmir situations, the JUH move could have wide ramification as it might end up projecting the Kashmir conflict as a Muslim issue.
“The movement against the violence in Jammu and Kashmir has so far been run by a small minority of civil rights group and we are trying to give a voice to the silent majority of masses and bring people to the fore to address the situation and resolve the problem,” secretary and spokesperson of JUH Niaz Ahmed Farooqui told The Pioneer.
Besides leaders and representatives from the Shias, Sunnis, Deobandis, Barelvis and non-Muslim communities, the Jamiat has invited 10,000 delegates of the organisation from across the country at Deoband on October 4 to discuss the Kashmir situation.
“Following this conference, the Jamiat will also send a delegation to Kashmir to establish people-to-people contact there and express solidarity with them against violence and address the humanitarian problems being faced by them. The Jamiat will also hold a public conference here next month to address the Government, public at large and the Kashmiris in particular against the ongoing violence in the Valley,” Farooqui said.
The conference will try and evolve a consensus among the different Muslim sects over a common stand to be taken by them on the Kashmir issue.
“Different people have different views on the Kashmir issue….We will discuss the humanitarian problems being faced by the community as result of the violence that is perpetuating in the Valley for the last three months,” Farooqui said.
He said, “The Valley is under siege…. The Muslims are facing a lot of problems there due to shortage of essential commodities, like medicines…. Suffering of the common man is enormous.”
“The situation in Jammu and Kashmir is alarming and the community cannot remain a silent spectator. A democratic voice of the masses is necessary to contain the spate of violence,” he said and added that a public session of the Muslim organisations here next month will help in mobilising the masses against the ongoing violence there.
Other Muslim organisations that will participate in the Deoband conference include All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), Jamat-e-Islami, All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat and All India Milli Council among others.
The Kashmir issue was discussed at the National Executive Committee meeting of the JUH here on Sunday.
The AIMPLB, which held a separate meeting on the Kashmir situation on Sunday, said the Muslims cannot afford to remain silent and should play a constructive role in containing the violence in Kashmir.
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