AhlulBayt News Agency: The organisation also sharply criticised the continued incarceration of Umar Khalid and several other activists, arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in connection with the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case. It also raised concern over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls announced by the Election Commission of India.
Addressing the monthly press conference at the organisation’s headquarters here on Saturday, JIH Vice President Engineer Mohammad Salim touched upon a wide range of issues including the continued ceasefire violations in Gaza by Israeli forces.
On Bihar elections, the Jamaat leader said for the people to exercise their democratic right is not just a routine act but it is a “sacred duty” to build a just and peaceful society.
He stressed that while exercising their franchise, citizens must evaluate political parties and candidates based on performance, integrity, and policy commitments, especially on issues such as poverty, unemployment, access to education, healthcare, and justice. “Elections should not be reduced to emotional or sectarian arenas,” he stated, warning against divisive campaigns and hate-driven politics.
When asked whether Jamaat identified such candidates, he quipped that voters were wiser enough to decide.
Raising grave concerns over SIR exercise across the 12 states and UTs, Engineer Salim that it should not be a replica of Bihar but a transparent and fair one. There is a clear pattern in the exercise, Muslims are 17 percent in Bihar ‘s population but 33 percent names from the community were deleted from the electoral rolls, he underlined and added that the poll body’s credibility has nose-dived. He also reminded the ECI that verifying one’s citizenship was not under its purview.
While Bihar prepares for the polls, JIH voiced fresh concern over the escalating crisis of safety and dignity for women across the country. Citing recent cases of sexual violence in Maharashtra and Delhi, Engineer Salim condemned what it described as a “deep moral and social breakdown.”
Notably, the case of a woman doctor in Satara, Maharashtra, who was found dead with a note alleging repeated rape by a police officer, was highlighted as a grim symbol of institutional failure. The 2023 report of the National Crime Records Bureau recorded 4,48,211 crimes against women—an alarming rise from previous years. Rajasthan topped the list of states, while Delhi led among Union Territories.
“These numbers reflect neither isolated incidents nor failures of the justice system alone,” he argued. “They point to a deeper ethical crisis—a decay of empathy and restraint.”
On the denial of bail to Umar Khalid and others, the Jamaat leader said: “Justice delayed is justice denied—not just for the accused, but for the republic itself. Upholding the rule of law is not optional; it is the essence of our democratic spirit.”
Nearly five years since their arrest, many of the accused—including researchers, students, and civil society members—remain behind bars without a full trial having begun, a situation JIH condemned as “punishment through process.”
The Association for Protection of Civil Rights’ general secretary Nadim Khan pooh poohed the Delhi Police affidavit in the case submitted in the Supreme Court, which deferred a crucial bail hearing to November 3. The Delhi Police argued that the riots were part of an alleged “regime change operation”—a claim Khan described as an attempt to politicise the legal process.
“Labelling peaceful anti-CAA protesters as terrorists and alleging that they conspired to overthrow the government stretches the definition of terrorism beyond recognition,” he added. “Such rhetoric weaponises the law against dissent and sets a dangerous precedent in a constitutional democracy.”
Umar Khalid, a former JNU scholar and prominent face of the anti-CAA protests, has now spent over 1,500 days in jail under the stringent provisions of UAPA. Along with him, activists like Khalid Saifi, Sharjeel Imam, Meeran Haider, Gulfisha Fatima, and others remain incarcerated, even as some co-accused have secured bail. JIH highlighted this disparity as indicative of an inconsistent and biased judicial approach.
The organisation raised serious concerns about the nature of the evidence used to justify the prolonged incarceration.
“The right to dissent is the lifeblood of democracy,” the Jamaat noted. “What we see in the continued detention of these young activists is a systematic attempt to silence disagreement and instill fear in civil society.”
The Jamaat said that the Supreme Court should take up the matter on priority and uphold the principles of justice, fairness, and equality before law.
On the situation in besieged and occupied Gaza strip, Engineer Salim said the international community, particularly the US, has more responsibility to compel Israel to adhere the ceasefire agreement in letter and spirit.
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