Mulims organisations condemn campaign against northeastern people, demand probe to track sources of provocative SMS - Times Of India

LUCKNOW: The All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat (AIMMM), an umbrella body of various Indian Muslim organisations, on Saturday condemned the campaign against people of northeast in different parts of country and demanded probe to find out the source of the phone text messages which created crisis.

"We, representatives of leading Muslim organisations in the country, unreservedly condemn the criminal and mischievous campaign against people of northeastern origin in certain parts of the country like Karnataka and Maharashtra for which modern media like bulk email, text and video messaging is being used," stated the statement released by the AIMMM on behalf of all the organisations under it.

The statement further said, "We also appeal to our respected Imams and Khateebs to avail the occasion of the Eid prayers and make an appeal to the Muslim masses in their sermons to maintain calm, peace and brotherhood. We also appeal to the Muslim masses to beware of the communal forces' designs and remain vigilant to maintain peace and amity in their respective localities."

"We also appeal to the Muslim community in the country and especially in the affected areas to cooperate and assure their brothers and sisters from North Eastern states that they are safe and secure and should not panic and leave their studies, jobs or businesses. Muslims should also offer the distressed persons to come and live in their houses and institutions until the situation becomes normal," the statement said.

It also stated, "We request the concerned authorities in all affected areas to meticulously probe the source(s) of these sms's and punish the guilty without mercy. We have reason to believe that this criminal campaign is orchestrated by the same people who are hell-bent to turn the present ethnic cleansing campaign in the Bodo Territorial Council areas into a foreigners and intruders' issue, which it is not. We are reminded by a similar campaign in Assam in May 2005 which had affected lakhs of people. Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi had then blamed the BJP and RSS for trying to foment communal tension in Assam. We hope the authorities will not develop cold feet in probing the origins of the present campaign and punishing them."

Those who signed the statement inclued AIMMM president Zafarul-Islam Khan, vice president Jamaat-e Islami Hind Muhammad Jaafar, convenor Coordination Committee Indian Muslims on Assam Mujtaba Farooq, general secretary Lok Janshakti Party Abdul Khaliq, general secretary Markazi Jamiat Ahl-e Hadees Asghar Imam Mehdi, secretary,Jamiat Ulama-e Hind Abdul Hameed Nomani, general secretary Movement for Empowerment of Muslim Indians Navaid Hamid, president Muslim Political Council Taslim Rahmani and member Working Committee Muslim Personal Law Board Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas among others.