Will Agnipath protestors also be punished like us, asks Muslim body

Alleging discrimination between protesters on the basis of religion by the administration, the Jamiat Uleme-e-Hind on Monday said if Muslims protest then it is an "unforgivable crime" while those involved in violent protests over the Centre's Agnipath scheme were let off lightly.

At a working committee meeting of the prominent Muslim body, Jamiat chief Maulana Arshad Madani said protest is a democratic right of every Indian citizen but the present rulers have accorded different criteria for different demonstrations.

"If Muslims protests then it is an unforgivable crime. But if the people from the majority community protest, carry out acts of violence on streets, set fire to trains and stations, they are not even charged with a light baton to disperse them," Madani said.

The discrimination between protesters on the basis of religion by the administration is regrettable, he said.

Alleging that the violent protests against the military recruitment scheme Agnipath was proof of this, Madani said protesters set fire to trains in various places, damaged government property and pelted stones at police.

"The same police that crossed all boundaries against Muslim protesters earlier remained a silent spectator. The people who have been arrested in connection with this violent protest have been charged with such light provisions of the law that they can be granted bail from the police station itself," he said.

The question is if peaceful protest is a crime in the country then why the houses of those who protested violently have not been demolished yet, Madani asked, in an apparent reference to the demolition of houses of some of those accused of violent protests against the remarks made by now-removed two Bharatiya Janata Party functionaries on Prophet Mohammed.

During the meeting at the Jamiat headquarters in New Delhi, Madani nominated Mufti Syed Masoom Saqib as general secretary of the organisation for the next term.

Two important resolutions were also unanimously approved in the meeting with one saying it is not enough to suspend those who have dared to insult the Prophet and they should be arrested immediately and punished severely according to the law.

The second major resolution stated that any attempt to amend the important 1991 law on religious places of worship could have "disastrous consequences".

The resolution said the act should be strictly enforced rather than amended or changed, with clearly stated in section 4 that that the religious character of a place of worship must be the same as it was on August 15, 1947.

Madani also said violent protests against the Agnipath scheme is a warning to the government that if the development of the country is not thought of, employment resources are not created and educated youth are not given jobs, the day is not far when all the youth of the country will be on the streets.