Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) has strongly condemned the arrest of Islamic scholar Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly, calling it an alarming sign of rising communal polarisation and the misuse of state power.
In a statement issued on Sunday, JIH President Syed Sadatullah Hussaini said the arrest and sweeping FIRs against Muslims over the slogan “I Love Muhammad” were unjustified and dangerous. “To criminalise such a peaceful expression of faith through mass arrests is not only unjustified but also an alarming assault on India’s civilisational ethos of respect, coexistence, and pluralism,” Hussaini said.
He criticised the authorities for equating devotional slogans with public disorder, calling it a “manufactured crisis driven by political motives.” According to Hussaini, Maulana Tauqeer Raza was initially placed under house arrest, and later FIRs were filed under harsh provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, indiscriminately naming hundreds of Muslims without proper investigation.
“Even more disturbing,” he said, “is the derogatory language used by some political figures against a scholar of Maulana’s stature, revealing the ugly politics at play behind this entire episode.”
The Jamaat chief warned that selective and disproportionate use of law enforcement against Muslims violates the principles of fair governance and undermines the rule of law. “What we are witnessing is a pattern of selective crackdowns that criminalise entire communities, while similar incidents in other contexts have been handled with restraint and fairness,” he added.
While condemning any unlawful acts such as violence or damage to property, Hussaini stressed that due process and impartial inquiry were essential. He warned that politically motivated crackdowns in the run-up to elections represent a “dangerous erosion of democratic values.”
“Each election season, we see the same script — divide communities, manufacture mistrust, and polarise society for short-term political gain. This path threatens the very fabric of our democracy and constitutional integrity,” he said.
Calling for calm and unity, Hussaini urged Muslims to respond with peace and patience, following the Prophet’s message of compassion. He also appealed to the government to withdraw excessive charges, release those wrongfully detained, and protect constitutional values.
“India’s true strength lies in its Constitution, its pluralism, and its centuries-old tradition of mutual respect. Undermining these pillars for political expediency harms not just one community—but the entire nation,” he said.
