New Delhi- : Jamaat – e- Islami Hind raises serious concern over new criminal laws that will replace the old ones like Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and Indian Evidence Act. The organization feels that these laws can be amended but not replaced. Jamaat also raised their concern over Manipur Violence and incidents of Islamophobia in educational institutions in the country.
Addressing mediapersons in their monthly press-conference in New Delhi, Jamaat-e- Islami Hind leaders, Vice President Professor Salim Engineer, Secretary Shafi Madani and Media Secretary KK Suhail spoke on the three new bills introduced in the Lok Sabha, aiming to improve India’s Criminal justice system. Although the new bills, repeals Section 124A of the IPC, it has made provision for punishing acts of “sedition” in a new form, which is as dangerous as the old law. Jamaat leaders do not find any need of redrafting the three bills rather some amendments can be made. They also have objection on language imposition. According to Media Secretary KK Suhail, all the three new laws are in Hindi language which is understood only by 44% of the population and 56% of the people residing in India are Non Hindi.
Talking about Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita Bill, the leaders said The bill has a provision for “Love Jihad”, which has been defined as “concealing your identity before marriage”. It has been made a separate offence with a sentence of 10 years. The term “Love Jihad” is deeply offensive to Muslims and carries a derogatory reference to an important tenet of Islam. The only positive aspect in the bill is the Capital punishment for mob lynching incidents, they added.
Expressing their concern over the New Data Protection Bill, Jamaat leaders said by the increased surveillance of the Government, the privacy of citizen data will be compromised as the bill allows companies to transfer some users data abroad. The new Bill will have the power to seek information from firms to personal data of individuals without their consent. The Bill gives power to the government to exempt state agencies from data protection provisions of the law in the name of investigation and state security, which will weaken our democracy, they said.
Reacting to the Manipur violence, JIH Secretary Shafi Madani said they are concerned about the future of Children in Manipur that are deprived of education as their schools are turned into relief camps. Condemning the violence incidents happening in the state between Meiteis and Kukis , since 3 May, Madani said “ Women and Children are the most affected ones when such violence occurs”. Considering the inability of the state govt. to control the situation in the state, the Central government must intervene and encourage civil society representatives from various ethnic backgrounds to initiate genuine reconciliation and peace efforts in the state, JIH leaders who recently visited Manipur said.
They also raised their voices against the incidents of Islamophobia in the Indian educational institutions. They feel that islamophobia in schools and colleges should be addressed by the government and appropriate laws should be draft to end this menace.
