The Jamiat-Ulama-i-Hind of India last month demanded reservation for Muslims in Parliament, legislative assemblies and government jobs and extended support to the ‘model nikahnama’ prepared by the All-India Muslim Personal Law Board.

At the end of its 28th All-India General Session, the Jamiat adopted a series of resolutions, which included demand for the removal of restrictions on reservations based on religion, passing a riot prevention Act and immediate release of those arrested under POTA.

Claiming that minority people are being harassed in Assam, the meeting, chaired by the Jamiat President Maulana Asaad Madani, termed the backlash against illegal migrants in the state as “plan to turn the state into another Gujarat”.

The JUH session, which was organised at the Ramlila ground in Delhi, was attended by hundreds of thousands of people including the Congress leader Mohsina Kidwai, Congress President Sonia Ganhi and IMWS Chair Bashir Karolia.

During the two-day session resolutions were passed on various matters concerning the community, which included protection of women’s rights, constitutional status to the Minority Educational Commission, compensation to the victims of communal riots, and desecration of the holy Koran by US forces.

Addressing the gathering of about 300,000 Muslims from across India, Congress President Sonia Gandhi assured India’s Muslims that their interests were foremost on the government’s mind and pointed to a series of measures it had taken in the last year to address their grievances. “We have always kept your interests in mind and will always continue to do so,” she was quoted as saying.

Gandhi also used the platform to describe the previous National Democratic Alliance government as “communal”. “In the last few years, the communal government at the centre tried to destroy the values and principles we stood for,” referring to the “distortion” of history textbooks at the school and college levels and the “misrepresentation” of India’s independence struggle. “As you are aware, we left no stone unturned to oppose these actions. You and other people in the country supported us and our alliance partners and the result was a UPA (United Progressive Alliance) government at the centre,” Gandhi added.

She concluded her speech by re-emphasising the importance of communal harmony and brotherhood for the country’s progress; she noted that the Congress under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad had tried to provide justice to all sections of the society.

The Jamiat-Ulama-I-Hind demanded reservation for the Muslims in Indian Parliament, legislative assemblies and government jobs. They also criticized the alleged desecration of Koran by U.S. troops.