Congress's Flexible Policy on Communalism Caused Severe Harm: Madani
Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind president Maulana Arshad Madani has launched a sharp critique against the Congress party. He accuses it of adopting a flexible policy toward religion-based hatred during its rule. This approach, he claims, inflicted severe damage on both the country and the Constitution.
Historical Failure After Gandhi's Assassination
Madani pointed directly to the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. He stated that communal forces were behind this tragic event. Had communalism been crushed decisively at that very moment, the country could have been saved from immense devastation.
"In our view, the killing of a great personality like Mahatma Gandhi was the killing of the country's secularism itself," Madani said. He expressed deep regret that the Congress leadership failed to take the necessary strong action at that critical juncture.
A Lenient Approach Allowed Communal Forces to Grow
Madani, who also serves as vice president of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, elaborated on this historical misstep. He argued that communal forces received lenient treatment instead of facing strict legal action as mandated by the Constitution and law.
This avoidance of decisive measures, according to his statement, gave communal elements ample opportunity to grow and strengthen over the decades. The result is a situation where constitutional and democratic values are now being openly trampled upon.
Connecting Partition Violence to Gandhi's Murder
Madani provided historical context for Gandhi's assassination. He recalled the anti-Muslim riots that erupted across the country after Partition. Mahatma Gandhi undertook a fast to stop this violence.
This act of moral courage did not sit well with communal forces. Madani noted that even some senior leaders within the Congress party turned against Gandhi. This opposition ultimately culminated in his assassination.
A Call for Honest Constitutional Implementation
Madani concluded with a poignant reflection on what might have been. "Had the Constitution been implemented honestly and fully along the very lines on which the foundations of free India were laid, we would not be witnessing these days today," he asserted.
He labeled it an unfortunate truth that Congress leaders, perhaps driven by fear, adopted a soft and flexible stance against religiously driven politics from the very beginning. This political flexibility, he insists, set a dangerous precedent that continues to haunt the nation's secular fabric.
