Press-meet at Jamaat-e-Islami Hind Markaz, New Delhi, on Aug. 1, 2015. (L-R) Arshad Sheikh, Media In-charge; Er. Mohammed Salim, Secretary General; Nusrat Ali, Vice-President; Muhammad Ahmed, Secretary; and Aijaz Aslam

New Delhi; 01st August 2015:  Jamaat​-e​-Islami Hind today demanded the release of caste based data through the recently released Socio Economic and Caste (SECC) Census. Addressing the media at their monthly​ ​press conference in New Delhi, Secretary General of Jamaat Muhammad Salim Engineer said: “Jamaat feels that the non-disclosure of the caste-based census details is a grave injustice to the deprived sections of India. The publication of caste-based census will give a clear picture about the number of SC/ST and other weaker sections and also highlight their socio-economic condition. This would help in realistic planning for their upliftment”.

He further added that: “Jamaat wants  ​figures of the religion census of 2011​ ​to be officially released​ ​and demands that the government should establish the “Equal Opportunities Commission”, as recommended by the Sachar Committee report”.

Referring to the recent incidents of communal violence in Harsul (Nasik), Washim and Jamshedpur and calling the central government’s “inaction and silence” on hate statements unfortunate, the Jamaat Secretary General urged the government to take stock of the deteriorating communal climate and implement concrete steps to remedy the situation.  In this connection, he said, “the government must table the Communal Violence Bill and get it passed in Parliament.”

On the question of Yakub Memon’s hanging, the Vice President of Jamaat​-e​-Islami Hind​, Maulana Nusrat Ali said:​ ​“Jamaat respects the judicial verdict,​ ​however the hasty manner​ ​in which the execution was carried out is questionable”. Terming both the 92 Mumbai riots and the 93 serial Mumbai blasts as “acts of crime,” he said:​ ​“the people responsible for engineering​ ​and executing the riots are yet to be punished which amounts to double standards in dispensing justice”.

Elaborating Jamaat’s agenda for tackling communal violence, Maulana Nusrat Ali said: “Jamaat has devised a three-pronged strategy to tackle communal strife.On the social level Jamaat will focus on building and reviving local level “SadbhavnaManch”. At the political level Jamaat shall endeavor to unite the secular forces and on the legal front, Jamaat advocates the tabling of the Communal Violence Bill”.