Central Advisory Council of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind passed 6 points Resolutions in its session held in New Delhi from 17th to 20th April 2008

Inflation
Central Advisory Council of JIH expresses its concern over the rising prices of food grains, materials and inflation, consequently the problems faced by the public. Rate of inflation reached to 7.14, whereas the actual figure according to analysts is much more than mentioned. Price hike in basic food products like wheat, rice, pulses, edible oil and vegetables is the matter of great concern.

It is sad to say, the UPA government that came to power to give importance to the needs of ordinary citizen, but the government has been overlooking it. Economic policies designed under the influence of global economic forces are showing their impact. On the one side, the GDP is increasing at a notable rate and on the other; problems of poor citizens are continuously mounting. This session of Central Advisory Council feels the analysis of government about inflation is not cent per cent right, and the steps been taken need to be oriented in the proper direction. Session demands that govt should soon at least restrain agricultural products from Future Trading. Strict actions should be taken to control Hoarding. State governments should be asked to implement Essential Commodities Act properly and the taxes levied on edible oil should be reviewed. Further steps should be taken to reduce import duties on essential commodities.

A cause for inflation is the neglect of agricultural economy throughout the globe that is a characteristic of modern capitalist system. The solution to this needs change in the fundamental policy. It has been analysed the major cause for increasing rate of inflation in the country is the world crisis that is the result of Subprime Crisis in USA, which is an outcome of excess loans on interest. According to World Bank, because of this reason agricultural products’ rates have increased to 73 per cent in this year. Because of this food-riots took place in Mexico City; Europe, Africa, and north-west Asia are undergoing a food crisis. Unfortunately, our country is also blindly following this capitalist system. Similarly, one reason for this state of affairs is trade-offs based on speculative price rises. This has especially hiked the prices of edible oil.

Now, Session wants to direct the attention of the country-people to the devastation the curse of interest has unleashed on. It is a result of neglecting God’s commands in the economic sphere of human activity.

Islamic teachings promote non-interest based economic system, which will give no room to exploitation and artificial inflation. The session hopes that the situation created by Subprime crisis will make the world to consider the teachings of Islam.

Labelling Muslims as Terrorists
In the name of “War against Terrorism” the West particularly USA has waged war against Muslim ummah and Islam. It seems that our country is blindly following the Western theory. Terrorism incidents are associated with Muslims with all haste. Intelligence agencies and police without any investigation irresponsibly give opinions and statements to the media against Muslims. Every incident, whether the attack is on a mosque or a graveyard, shrine or parliament, is associated with Muslims. Similarly, somehow they are associated with local Muslim organization and with terrorist organization that exist outside the national boundary without any proof. Central Advisory Council takes serious notice of this irresponsible attitude and demands the government to rectify this posture of secret agencies and restrain them from creating opinion before proving guilt in the court of law. This misleading propaganda and biasness towards Muslim ummah has brought Muslims in doubt and qualm that is no way good for the nation. Here it is to be noted, that the Muslims claimed to be terrorists in various incidents are usually acquitted by the court. But by this time they already have lost their precious and a considerable period of life behind bars and the false label of terrorism remains with them for the rest of their life. On the contrary, very susceptible to say, when a person from a fascist and communal force is found involved in terrorist activities is set free on bail with trivial charges on him and the media too overlooks the case. Attitude of police and management reflects its dual standard and biasness against Muslims.

Central Advisory Council of JIH also takes solemn notice of few new papers that are trying to create misunderstandings through fake knowledge regarding Jamaat. Jamaat-e-Islami Hind is a constitutional organisation. In its constitution it is clearly written, “Jamaat shall adopt the peaceful, constitutional, constructive and democratic methods, and it refrains from all such activities which are opposed to truth and honesty, or likely to provoke communal hatred, class conflict or social disorder.” In the similar way, associating Jamaat-e-Islami Hind with other terrorist organisations is part of biasness towards Jamaat.

The Central Advisory Council of Jamaat demands the government to check injustices done by government missionary, police, and secret agencies. Government must restrain its missionary and secret agencies from creating tensions, anarchy, and communal clash in the country.

Gaza siege and Israeli Aggression
Though Palestinians are the victims of Israeli aggression and terrorism since last 60 years, further siege of Gaza Strip in the last few months is highly disturbing and condemnable. This violent siege has deprived Palestinians from their basic facilities – water, food and medical shortage that resulted into strong crisis especially children, women and old men are sufferers. The so-called civilised people have devastated the economy of Gaza that has resulted into enormous unemployment. Factories are shutting down due to blockade of raw material for production and manufacturing. Sanctions on import of food grains and fruits have further worsened the condition in Gaza. Black-out condition is prevailing since there is no power supply. Above all, the Israeli bomb and missile attacks on Palestinians have resulted in intense destruction of human lives and wealth. Schoolchildren are victims of these attacks at large.

Central Advisory Council of JIH strongly condemns Israeli aggression and terrorism and demands to cease the siege of Gaza strip and provide essential commodities in plenty amount to Palestinians. Elected government of Hamas should be restored and its rights should not be seized by undemocratic ways. Silence of western countries at the expulsion of democratically elected Hamas is a slap on the face of self-declared leading proponents of democracy.

Advisory Council calls to the humanity and civil society to act on this worst tragedy of human beings and to register a protest against Israeli aggression and encroachment. Advisory Council asks international organisations, especially UNO and Muslim countries to come forward to set free browbeaten Palestinians from this aggression. Advisory council register its protest against the cowardice-silence of Muslim countries. 60 years of Israeli aggression will complete in May 2008. These 60 years are analogous to aggression and outrage, worst destruction of human lives and wealth, illegal settlement of Israel on the Palestinian land, efforts to change the form of Masjid-e-Aqsa, and disturbance of total peace in the West-Asia. Advisory Council feels peace and tranquillity is possible only when the Palestine is freed from the illegal acquisition of Israelites.

Government Missionaries and Muslims
Government missionaries, police, security agencies and STF are taking Muslim youth under custody without any reasonable proof and tyrannising them and their families. Central Advisory Council of JIH condemns this process in strong terms and calls it irrational, immodest and irresponsible attitude. Aforementioned agencies arrest individuals without reasonable cause. Sometimes they adopt legal ways and some other times they abduct individuals and later after few weeks inform that they were arrested. Arrested individuals are forced after torture and punishment to accept guilt. In this period, harassment of their family members continues. Media accepts the charges that are imposed upon the individuals without investigation and creates an atmosphere against Muslims through spreading it in the public. In this emotional atmosphere, judicial procedure becomes meaningless. However, the unconstitutional and illegal resolutions of Bar Council that no lawyer would take up the case of these accused, violate the rights to justice. This collective situation paves way for the promotion of anti-Muslim thought which unfortunately already exists in the country.

Advisory Council demands that the process of oppression should be ended, arrested persons should be released without delay. No one should be arrested without reasonable basis, human rights of every oppressed should be respected and they should be kept safe from any kind of torture and punishment. Family members who are innocent should not be harassed and steps should be taken to make seeking of legal aid and justice possible for them. It is also demanded that police and government agencies should avoid illegal means rather follow directives of Supreme Court in this regard and should stop Witch-Hunting of Muslims.

Advisory Council express that it is a matter of deep sorrow since few political parties supported this anti-Muslim attitude by remaining silent. Attitude of accusing a major stratum of the society is not a good prediction for the country. Advisory Council demands that political parties should feel their responsibility and they should urge government agencies to adopt just attitude.

Advisory Council want to bring to the notice of media authorities the fact that victims should not be accused without investigation and instead of being spokesperson of police’s stand, media should be impartial and act justly in reporting. Further, media should promote fraternity rather than promoting internal enmity in the country.

Increasing incidents of farmers’ suicide

The Central Advisory Council of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind expresses concern and grief over the destruction of agricultural economy and increasing incidents of farmers’ suicide. This is a highly sorrowful state; one side are the claims of rapid economic progress and on the other are the increasing miseries of majority of the population which depends on agriculture. According to the reports that more than 1.5 lakh farmers belonged to different parts of the country, especially of Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra, have committed suicide in the last few years.

The Council thinks that the root cause of this problem is country’s basic economic policies. Government’s new agriculture policy, which asserts to minimize people’s dependency on agriculture and promote corporate world, exposes the real ambitions of the government. These polices which were coined by the global economic institutions are responsible for farmers’ miserable condition.

The Council especially notes the reports that more than 300 farmers of Vidarbha have committed suicide till now, even after government’s announcement to let off their debts. This shows that the package of debts exemption is not the solution of this problem. The condition to offer debt-exemption only to those who have at least two hectares land deprives the number of destitute farmers, especially from infertile Vidarbha. It is surprising that government did not differentiate between infertile and fertile, irrigated and non-irrigated regions. Whereas major populations of farmers, especially 70% AP’s farmers have taken loan from moneylenders, this package could not solve their problems because it is not the solution of their problems.

The Council demands the government to offer debt-exemption on the basis of debt’s amount not on land’s size and let off all debts lower than 50 thousands. Debt exemption is a short-term measure, so government not only should seek out permanent solution but mull over the recommendations of Radha Krishna Committee. Apart from this, the demands of maintaining stability in food grains prices ban on future trading and enforcement of strict quality control rules on the manufacturers of insecticide drugs, seeds, manure, etc should be fulfilled.

The major cause of this problem is the network of usury system (interest based loan system) and the Council believes usury is the main reason behind demolition of any economic sector. The Council demands to prevent illegal business of usury loan by private moneylenders and implement the Money Lending Act which was enacted to control atrocious interest rates on loan, and make strict regulations. Regulate the attempts to remove farmers from their traditional crops as well as trapping farmers in the web of loans in the name of corporate farming.

It is also a concern of the council the penetration of multinational companies and giant businesspersons in the country’s retail business would complicate the issue of farmers. So immediately this policy should be revised.

Muslim Minority Status of Jamia Millia Islamia

The Central Advisory Council of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind demands the Government of India should accept, in clear and express terms, Jamia Millia Islamia Delhi as a “Muslim Minority Institution”, and declare it exempt from the new Supreme Court ruling on reservation for OBCs.

The Council expresses its surprise and concern the Government on one hand acknowledges the educational backwardness of Muslims and also makes promises but on the other adopts dithering in granting Muslim minority character to their own established institutions. During the last three years the teachers and students of the Jamia, Jamia fraternity and informed sections of Muslims have demanded many times from Government of India and Union Ministry for Human Resource Development that Jamia Millia Islamia should be declared, in clear and express terms, a “Muslim Minority Institution”. But till now the Government has adopted the evading attitude.

This is a known fact that Maulana Mahmoodul Hasan, Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar, their colleagues and other distinguished Muslim stalwarts, established Jamia Millia Islamia during the Freedom Movement. Moreover, the Aims and Objectives mentioned in the Charter of Jamia prove that this Institution has been established for the fulfilment of the educational needs of Indian Muslims. It is strange that such a vivid historical reality is being neglected. The Council demands that without making any further delay in this matter the Government of India declare Jamia Millia Islamia a Minority Institution and not implement the new ruling on reservation for OBCs.