New Delhi, Mar 6: Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, one of the country's leading Islamic organizations, has set a two-month deadline for the UPA government to enact a law on reservation for Muslims in government jobs in proportion to their population.
It also asked the government on Tuesday to pass the anti-communal violence law besides release of innocent Muslim youth arrested on false charges of involvement in terrorist activities. It said if its demands were not met, it would launch nationwide protests.
Taking on UPA chairperson and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, Jamiat general secretary Maulana Mahmood Madani said, "You can't remain competent and eligible to the legacy of the great family if injustices in the states run by your party are not stopped, and communal violence law is not enacted during the UPA regime."
He claimed Muslims were not "bonded labour" of any particular party and urged the government to at least introduce the communal violence bill in Congress-ruled states within a year.
The Jamiat leader said all political parties had fooled the minorities and other weaker sections including Muslims, OBCs and tribals. Madani also urged the BJP to clarify its stand on Muslims. "If it clarifies its stand, the country's destiny will definitely change," he said referring to the recent claim of BJP leader L K Advani that the attitude of Muslims towards the party was changing.
He also took on Mulayam Singh Yadav and said if the Samajwadi Party chief failed to fulfill his commitment of providing 18% reservation to Muslims, releasing Muslim youth arrested on false charges and allowing reconstruction and repair of mosques in Uttar Pradesh, his dream of becoming prime minister would remain unfulfilled.
Around 12,000 protesters courted arrest near Ram Manohar Lohia hospital in the capital, and Jamiat leaders submitted a memorandum of demands to the prime minister's office.
"Our working committee will meet next month. We will give the government a couple of months to act. If it fails, there will be nation-wide protest including massive jail bharo movement," Madani said.
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