Religious leaders, scholars, and activists have raised concerns over threats to communal harmony in Telangana, and in capital city Hyderabad, over the past week, urging the government to ensure that law and order is maintained.
Islamic scholars, representing various schools of thought, recently gathered to condemn the idol desecration in Muthyalamma temple in Secunderabad, and to address rumours that the Muslim community was indifferent to the incident.
“We want to make it clear that not just the ulama (Islamic scholars), but the Quran itself prohibits Muslims from speaking ill of the gods worshipped by others. Verbal abuse is forbidden; raising a hand is a far cry,” said Mufti Mahmood Zubair, general secretary of Jamiat Ulama Hind (Arshad Madani group), regarding the desecreation. He also called for the passage of a law in the Assembly to address such incidents, irrespective of the religion involved.
Maulana Ahsan al Hamoumi, Syed Ghulam Afzal Biyabani, and other Islamic scholars also condemned the idol desecration.
Similarly, the United Muslim Forum, which includes scholars like Mufti Sadiq Mohiuddin and All India Muslim Personal Law Board president Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani, highlighted the assault of a youth in Kagaznagar by a mob, as well as the unease in Jainoor. They criticised the government for failing to compensate victims of the violence in Jainoor and expressed concern over the developments related to idol desecration.
Meanwhile, a group of activists belonging to a different organisation, further pointed out that as many as 20 communal incidents, both small and large, have taken place over the past year, creating a sense of insecurity among minorities in the State. Criticising what they said was an intelligence failure in Jainoor, they released a list of demands which included reopening the market, providing compensation on rational grounds, and taking strict action against hate speech.
Published – October 30, 2024 10:48 pm IST
