Hyderabad: Muslim leaders demand govt to protect their religious rights

Hyderabad: The hijab row from Karnataka is slowly spreading to the other parts of southern India with many Muslim community leaders raising clamour over the issue and also seeking the governments to protect the basic religious rights of their community members.

Maulana Mufti Khaleel Ahmed, Vice-Chancellor, Jamia Nizamia, Maulana Mohammed Husamuddin Sani Jaffar Pasha, president, Majlise Ulma-e-Deccan, Maulana Hasan Farooqi, president, Amarat Millate Islamia, Ziauddin Nayyar, president, Sunni Dawate Islami and All India Majlise Tamire Millat held a press conference and raised the Muslim minority issues, including the ban of hijab in educational institutions in Karnataka, demolition of 400-year-old Qutub Shahi Mosque in Shamirpet besides the upcoming Assembly elections in 5 States, particularly in Uttar Pradesh.

Speaking about the hijab (headscarf) row in Karnataka, Maulana Hassan Farooqi of Amarat Millate Islamia had condemned the act of restraining freedom to practice one's religion and said that wearing a scarf and covering head for Muslim women was a basic right.

"Wearing hijab is a fundamental, constitutional and religious right and the government should maintain the secularism. We want steps to be taken to remove restraint on wearing hijab," said Maulana Hasan.

Maulana Husamuddin Sani Jaffer Pasha of Majlise Ulma-e-Deccan condemned the pulling down of 400-year-old Qutub Shahi mosque in Shamirpet. He blamed the Wakf Board and its chairman Mohammed Saleem for destruction of mosques in the State. "When the Chairman is unaware of demolition of several mosques, then why is he in that chair?" he asked, appealing the government to take action against those responsible for demolition.

Maulana Mufti Mohammed Khaleel Ahmed of Jamia Nizamia said that Hyderabad was second home for the people of Uttar Pradesh as most of the Imaam and Moazzam were from UP. He appealed to the Muslims of UP and also the secular-minded people not to be influenced by the Sangh Parivar. He said Muslims in UP should vote in favour of Majlis candidates so that they can live with their heads held high like Muslims in Telangana.

"Although Muslims in UP constitute 20 per cent of the population, their economic and educational condition is pitiable. No government of any political party has ever tried to improve their condition. Instead, they took away their rights and remained silent when communal forces inflicted atrocities on them," he added. They condemned attack on AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and appealed to the UP voters not to get carried away by the baseless propaganda of ruling BJP, and give Majlis a chance to represent them.