Raises Alarm over Evictions in Assam, Warns of Systematic Targeting of Muslims
By Andalib Akhter / New Delhi
The Working Committee of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind (JUH), in a crucial meeting at its Delhi headquarters under the leadership of Maulana Arshad Madani, voiced strong concern over what it called the “unprecedented targeting of Muslims” in India, particularly in Assam. The meeting described the ongoing wave of communal polarization, attacks on mosques and madrasas, and bulldozer-led evictions in Muslim settlements as part of a “planned campaign” against the community.
At the heart of the deliberations was the issue of large-scale evictions in Assam, where more than 50,000 Muslim families are reportedly being uprooted from their homes. The Jamiat said these demolitions are not merely administrative actions but “a direct assault on the Constitution and the rule of law.”
Assam Evictions Under Spotlight
Maulana Madani condemned the bulldozer operations in Assam, stating:
“Old Muslim settlements that have existed for decades are being razed to the ground in the name of illegal occupation. If these were truly illegal, why did successive governments provide schools, electricity, and ration facilities in these villages? The truth is, only Muslim areas are being targeted, and even the Chief Minister has openly admitted that the drive is against Muslims.”
The JUH alleged that the Assam government’s actions go beyond eviction and verge on disenfranchisement. Madani pointed out that the Chief Minister’s statement about removing evicted families from the voter list was tantamount to stripping them of their fundamental rights. “Is the decree of a Chief Minister greater than the Constitution? Can any state authority take away the voting rights of citizens?” he asked.
He stressed that communal polarization in Assam is being fueled by rhetoric from the state’s leadership. “The venomous speeches delivered regularly by the Chief Minister are meant to deepen divisions between Hindus and Muslims,” Madani warned, adding that this amounts to “an insult to the Constitution and democracy.”
Systematic Targeting of Muslims
Beyond Assam, JUH leaders noted that Muslims across India are facing a barrage of challenges—ranging from campaigns against mosques and madrasas to hate speech and discrimination. Madani remarked that Muslims are being “attacked from all directions” and that new crises are deliberately manufactured to keep the community under constant pressure.
“India today is gripped by fascism,” he said. “What we see is a systematic and pre-planned attempt to marginalize Muslims and to pit one community against another.”
The JUH President emphasized that hatred is now being projected as patriotism, while perpetrators of violence are shielded from the law. He asserted that this not only harms Muslims but also endangers India’s pluralistic fabric.
Legal Struggle, Not Street Confrontation
Tracing the historical approach of JUH, Madani reiterated that the organization does not believe in confrontation or street clashes. Instead, it seeks redress through the judiciary. “Our fight is not against individuals or groups but against the government, which is constitutionally bound to protect all citizens. That is why we always take the legal route,” he said.
Regarding Assam, JUH announced that it would soon file a petition in the Supreme Court, challenging the eviction campaign. Leaders from Assam, including Maulana Mushtaq Anfara and All Assam Minority Students’ Union (AAMSU) President Rejaul Karim, are already in Delhi to coordinate legal preparations.
Madani recalled how JUH’s earlier interventions helped protect the rights of Assamese Muslims during the NRC (National Register of Citizens) process, ensuring that communal demands to use the 1951 census as a basis for citizenship were defeated. “Communal forces wanted millions of Muslims to be declared foreigners and expelled. But the legal struggle of Jamiat foiled these sinister designs,” he said.
A Call for Justice
The JUH urged the Chief Justice of India to take suo motu notice of the evictions in Assam and initiate action against officials, including the Chief Minister, who are allegedly violating constitutional rights. “This is not just about Muslims—it is about the credibility of India’s democracy and judiciary,” Madani said.
The organization clarified that it does not support illegal encroachment on government land but maintained that the selective targeting of Muslim settlements reveals the true communal motive. “We cannot allow an elected government to reduce citizens to second-class status,” he asserted.
The meeting also condemned Israel’s aggression in Palestine and broader global injustices, but the central theme remained India’s Muslims, especially the alarming developments in Assam.
In conclusion, JUH leaders warned that unless checked, the ongoing campaign of polarization and eviction would not only devastate Muslim lives but also corrode the foundations of India’s unity. “This is a test of the Constitution and the judiciary,” said Madani. “We hope justice will prevail.”
Besides the President of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, the meeting was attended by the Vice President Maulana Syed Asjad Madani, General Secretary Mufti Syed Masoom Saqib, Mufti Ghiyasuddin Rehmani (Hyderabad), Maulana Badar Ahmad Mujbibi (Patna), Maulana Abdullah Nasir (Banaras), Qari Shamsuddin (Kolkata), Mufti Ashfaq Ahmad (Azamgarh), Haji Salamatullah (Delhi), Fazal-ur-Rahman Qasmi, Mufti Abdul Qayyum Mansoori (Gujarat), Professor Nasrullah (Madras), Maulana Haleemullah Qasmi (Mumbai), Mufti Ashraf Abbas Qasmi (Deoband), Maulana Syed Ashhad Rashidi (Moradabad), Mufti Muhammad Ismail (Maligaon), Maulana Abdul Rashid Qasmi (Assam), Maulana Mushtaq Ahmad Anfara (Assam), and Advocate Fuzail Ahmad Ayubi (Delhi).
Special invitees included Maulana Muhammad Rashid (Rajasthan), Maulana Muhammad Muslim Qasmi (Delhi), Maulana Muhammad Ahmad (Bhopal), Maulana Abdul Qayyum (Maligaon), Mufti Habibullah (Jodhpur), and Mr. Ihtisham-ul-Haq (Jamia Millia Islamia), among others. The meeting concluded with a prayer by the respected President.