MUMBAI, 2 August 2007 — President of the All India Madrasa Board Maulana Mohammed Yaqub refuted allegations that madrasas are breeding grounds for terrorists and also that terrorism was being preached in madrasas in the country.
“Humanism and not terrorism is being taught in our madrasas, and anyone who has doubts about that (terrorism being preached) are welcome to visit and check the madrasas any time. We have nothing to hide,” he said.
Asserting that no one can doubt the patriotism of Indian Muslims, Yaqub said: “First and foremost, India is our country, we love our country just like other Indians, we belong here and have not settled here as guests.”
Highlighting the grievances of the Muslim community, Yaqub said Muslims should be treated as equals before the law and without any discrimination, as envisaged in the Indian Constitution.
Expressing his disappointment with the Maharashtra government, the maulana said that while those involved in the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts were sent to the gallows, it is unfair to note that those responsible for the demolition of the Babri Mosque, have not been punished.
Those involved in heinous crimes should be prosecuted, but this should be done only after proper investigations had been done and action should not be taken solely on the basis of religion of a person, Yaqub said.
To a question on the 9/11 terror attacks in the United States, Yaqub asked whether anyone had analyzed why there is terrorism?, adding if people are constantly subjected to injustice, even the innocent and poor will rebel.
Meanwhile, the Srikrishna Commission report continues to haunt the state government. A former Mumbai police commissioner, recently acquitted in the Telgi Scam, lashed out at the former Mumbai Police Commissioner R.D. Tyagi stating that Tyagi had unnecessarily and without any provocation and reasons ordered the firing at innocent Muslims in Suleiman Bakery during communal riots that was probed by the Srikrishna Commission.
“I was the deputy commissioner of police of Zone 2 which covers Mohammed Ali Road where the bakery is situated, and I also know that the Muslims there are not hostile. It was Tyagi who was at fault,” the former city police chief said.
A majority of the 100 persons convicted for their role in the 1993 serial blasts had said it was unfair that while they were being punished, the perpetrators of the communal riots in the city following the demolition of the Babri Mosque in 1992 had not been brought to book.
Many of the convicts had also sought lesser prison terms stating that the serial blasts on March 12, 1993, which killed 257 and injured over 700, were carried out to avenge crimes committed against Muslim community during the riots, since no action had been taken in the Srikrishna Commission report.
