Some renowned gurus and politicians present at Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind conference have chosen to maintain studied silence on some of the controversial fatwas. Apart from endorsing the fatwa issued by Darul Uloom seminary at Deoband decreeing singing of Vande Mataram un-Islamic, there were several other controversial fatwas showing the regressive face of the entire exercise. Emphasizing the separate Muslim identity a fatwa was passed asking Muslims to "don their Islamic identity" and to say "salaam" instead of "namaste". Another fatwa while opposing 33% women's reservation as uncalled for says that "bringing women into the mainstream will create social problems and issues including their security". The conference also issued fatwas against watching either cinema or television while saying no to the state's efforts to contain diseases like AIDS. Apart from jobs in the public sector and education funded by tax-payers, the Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind also wants proportionate representation for Muslims in elected bodies, including Parliament. The Jamiat does not want the Government to interfere with madarsas by way of setting up a Central Board because theological schools are meant to produce clerics. The Home Minister of India, P. Chidamabaram who attended the conference is keeping silence on these regressive fatwas. While a Home Minister's political compulsions are understandable what is stopping Baba Ramdev and Sri Sri Ravishankar from giving their valued opinions cannot be easily understood.

There are efforts to translate Vande Mataram in Urdu. While one section feels that "Maa Taslimaat", a Urdu version of Vande Mataram may be adopted by Muslims, The All India Shia Personal Law Board (AISPLB) has demanded that Vande Mataram should be officially translated in Urdu so that there are no conflicting interpretations. It amounts to gross misjudgment of the entire issue. Vande Mataram is composed of Samskrita as well as Bengali words. By applying same yardsticks can we go for different versions of Vande Mataram given the linguistic diversity in India? It is in fact an attempt to duck the real question. The real question is as to whether Ulemas are ready to shun radical version of Islam and accept Indian civilizational ethos of mutual respect and co-existence. Are we going to have dual version of our nationalism or we can stand united as a single nation? If today Vande Mataram can be translated into Urdu to make it acceptable then who can guarantee that the national anthem would be spared. And, moreover if today it is Urdu tomorrow it can be Arabic - where are we heading for? In fact such kind of efforts to placate the Ulemas has seldom yielded the desired results - in fact it has emboldened such elements leading to much more difficult situation. Experience also shows that silence has always been taken as weakness and approval of the objectionable actions. Those who went to the conference and chose to maintain silence on these controversial fatwas and those who are trying to placate the Ulemas who issued these fatwas would find it difficult to absolve themselves of their complicity in the entire exercise.

Last update : 16-11-2009 01:34

Keywords : Editorial: Can Silence Appease Jamiat Ulemas?, The Editorial Team

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