'Hate crimes' increase when elections approach, says Jamiat chief

"People of a certain ideology started targeting unarmed Muslims on the basis of their religious identity. Even the elders are not being forgiven, their beards are being cut. It is unfortunate that the miscreants did this to the elders to spread religious hatred which is regrettable," he said, in a statement.

"This truth has been fully exposed... the general opinion and tendency is that whenever an election is approaching, all of a sudden, a certain section of the society is engaged in fanning the flames of sectarianism and religious hatred," Maulana Madani said.

He said that some time ago, when the second wave of corona was killing humans, people were helping each other, irrespective of their religion, cast and creed. "Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians were all coming together to help the corona victims. What our rulers and politicians could not do was fulfilled by the spirit of human sympathy created due to corona," he said.

The Jamiat chief also said that from the print and electronic media to social media, it was being said that the epidemic had united all Indians and "torn down the wall of hatred that sectarian parties and organisations had built between them for their political interests".

"Then every peace-loving citizen of the country breathed a sigh of relief but as the elections approached, the game of hatred started once again," he said.

Noting that the corona epidemic has exposed the "grim reality of development", he said: "When we could not provide oxygen to the people, thousands of people died due to lack of oxygen. Many people did not get hospital beds, and some who got beds, they could not get the medicines they needed."

"If ours soul do not awake even after this, and if we continue to play the game of religious extremism and hatred, it is the sign of disappointment," he added.

He lamented that those who spread hatred and violence in the country are not caught, but some people sit on TV channels and defend them. "In the light of this, it is clear that these extremists have some kind of political backing. That is why the police are so nervous to arrest them. Therefore, the mischievous gangs who carry out mob lynchings commit fearless and dangerous acts of terror because they believe that their patrons are in power," he claimed.

Maulana Madani warned that still is the time to stop this nefarious chain of hatred, and instead of religious extremism and sectarian alignment, schools, colleges, hospitals and jobs should be discussed, and efforts should be made to save the country from destruction.

He also warned that the politics of hatred that has been going on for the last few years is starting to have dire consequences. "If the eyes of the rulers are still not open, then it will be difficult to bring the country back from the dangerous path of decline."

Maulana Madani said that the country is governed by the rule of law and justice, and moves forward with mutual unity. "That is why we have always said that instead of hatred, national solidarity, mutual unity and Hindu-Muslim brotherhood should be promoted in the country. Because human history has witnessed that love brings peace, progress and prosperity, and hatred brings only destruction."