New Delhi, 16 March: Jamaat-e-Islami Hind has termed as violation of constitutional rights the continuous call by some organizations and their leaders that minorities in India are “Hindu” adding that those making the call seem unaware of the Constitution.

Nusrat Ali, Secretary General of Jamaat, expressed concern and wonder that existence and identity of minorities is being made suspicious even though they have been acknowledged in the Constitution and specific rights granted to them as separate entity. He explained that all citizens of India are called Bharatiya, Indian or Hindustani but how can all of them, including Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Jain, Parsi, Dalit, Adivasi and many others be called Hindu? Won’t it be violation of their constitutional rights? Won’t such campaign harm the atmosphere of communal harmony?

The Secretary General of Jamaat further said that it is a universal fact that people are associated with religions on the basis of their beliefs. Therefore, if some people want to call themselves as “Hindu” on the basis of their belief they have full right to do that. But their organization or people have no constitutional and moral right to call “Hindu” all other people who profess and practise different religions and beliefs.

As for Indian Muslims, Jamaat leader said, they believe in oneness of God, Prophethood and Life After Death and so they cannot even imagine to wear a separate identity as “Hindu” or as any name other than Islam, and neither can one be granted such unconstitutional right to do that.