Syed Sadatullah Husaini, President of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH), expressed deep concern on Friday over a recent ruling by a NIA-ATS Court that convicted Maulana Kaleem Siddiqui, Maulana Umar Gautam, and 12 others for their alleged involvement in illegal conversion cases.
On 11 September, a court in Uttar Pradesh’s Lucknow sentenced to life 12 persons, including a prominent Islamic scholar Maulana Kaleem Siddiqui and Maulana Umar Gautam, and awarded a 10-year jail term to four others after finding them guilty of unlawfully converting Hindus to Islam. The detailed conviction order is still awaited.
In a statement, Husaini criticized the court’s decision, which sentenced the accused to life imprisonment under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 417, 120B, 153A, 153B, 295A, 121A, 123, and sections 3, 4, and 5 of the Illegal Conversion Act. He argued that the charges of terrorism, criminal conspiracy, promoting enmity, and offences against the state were “baseless” and represented a “deeply troubling precedent.”
“We strongly differ with the Hon’ble Court’s assessment regarding the levelling of such grave charges,” Husaini said. “In a democratic country like India, who can force someone to change his religion? Islam does not allow it at all. Every individual has the right to choose, practice, and propagate the religion of his/her choice, and this right is enshrined in our Constitution.”
Husaini suggested that the case had been fabricated to send a message to minority communities about practising their constitutionally guaranteed right to freedom of religion. He accused the authorities of creating a “charged atmosphere of fear, intimidation, and hatred” for political gain.
“The manner in which Maulana Siddiqui and Maulana Gautam were arrested and implicated, coupled with sensationalized media reactions, showed that the entire exercise was meant to exploit public sentiments,” Husaini stated.
Calling the case a threat to democracy and the rule of law, Husaini urged organizations, political parties, and justice-minded individuals to speak out against what he described as an act of injustice. He also expressed hope that the case would be escalated to higher courts for redressal, emphasizing that it involves fundamental rights and personal liberties guaranteed by the Indian Constitution.
“This violation of rights and liberties is an endorsement of majoritarianism and authoritarianism,” he added.
, expressed deep concern on Friday over a recent ruling by a NIA-ATS Court that convicted Maulana Kaleem Siddiqui, Maulana Umar Gautam, and 12 others for their alleged involvement in illegal conversion cases.){kind=link}