Muslim organisations, civil society groups, legal experts, and community leaders in Maharashtra have announced plans to set up task forces to provide immediate support to victims of hate crimes and address growing concerns around communal tensions, hate speech, and proposed legal changes.
The decision was taken during a consultative meeting organised by the Federation of Maharashtra Muslims (FMM) at Islam Gymkhana in Mumbai on June 8. The gathering brought together Muslim legislators, lawyers, retired judges, social activists, and religious scholars to discuss issues affecting the community, including hate crimes, the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion (Anti-Conversion) law, and the proposed implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC).
Immediate Aid for Hate Crime Victims
Addressing a press conference after the meeting, Jamaat-e-Islami Maharashtra president Maulana Ilyas Khan Falahi said a task force would soon be formed to provide immediate assistance to victims of hate crimes.
“A task force will be established soon to provide immediate aid to victims of hate crime,” Falahi said.
He added that the meeting was aimed at finding practical solutions for challenges faced by Muslims and should not be seen as opposition to any political party or government.
“The meeting is not a confrontation against any government or political party; rather, it is a sincere effort to find sustainable and practical solutions to the issues faced by Muslims,” he said.
10-Year Roadmap for the Community
Participants at the meeting also discussed preparing a long-term roadmap for the Muslim community’s future in Maharashtra. Organisers said the discussion focused on responding collectively to increasing communal tensions and what they described as administrative discrimination.
The stakeholders reportedly deliberated on legal aid, grassroots awareness, democratic participation, and ways to strengthen community coordination in the coming years.
Awareness Campaigns to Be Launched
Author Dolphy D’Souza, associated with the Justice and Peace Commission (JPC) and the Institute for Community Research Organisation (ICOR), said awareness drives would be organised as a preventive measure.
He stressed the need for community awareness campaigns to address misinformation and improve preparedness against hate crimes and discrimination.
Demand to Withdraw Anti-Conversion Law
Among the key resolutions passed during the meeting was a demand to withdraw the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion (Anti-Conversion) law, which was passed earlier this year.
Attendees expressed concerns over the proposed Uniform Civil Code and discussed strategies for legal and democratic engagement regarding its possible implementation.
Political Leaders and Former Judge Attend Meeting
Several prominent figures attended the meeting, including former Bombay High Court judge Abhay Thipsay, former Rajya Sabha MP Obaidullah Khan Azmi, and MLAs Amin Patel, Sajid Pathan, Haroon Khan, Abu Asim Azmi, Sana Malik, and Rais Shaikh.
The Federation of Maharashtra Muslims also urged minority communities to remain vigilant and ensure that their names are included in electoral rolls.
