Tamil Nadu Towheed Jamath demand apology from Times of India for associating them with a terror group

After the bombings in Sri Lanka on Easter, 21st April that killed 320 people, there have been speculations about the individuals/ group behind the dastardly act. 24 Muslim youth have been arrested on grounds of suspicion.


Image courtesy: Al Jazeera

The government of Sri Lanka has shut down internet services to prevent false news from spreading and creating more hatred and terror. Though the Government of Sri Lanka have begun their investigation into the bombings, media houses have started blaming different groups.
The media in Sri Lanka named National Towheed Jamath as the group responsible for the dastardly act. And the Media in India unhesitatingly associated the Tamil Nadu Towheed Jamath with the suspected National Towheed of Sri Lanka drawing the ire of the TN Towheed Jamath (TNTJ).

The Towheed Jamat people of Tamil Nadu have condemned both the terrorist act and also the role of Media in tarnishing the image of the Tamil Nadu Towheed Jamat and misleading people.  And even released a video stating the facts and chiding the irresponsible media.

TwoCirlces.net contacted Mr. Mohammed Ghany, audit committee member of Tamil Nadu Towheed Jamath (TNTJ), to clarify.  “Sri Lankan media mentioned the suspected involvement of National Towheed Jamath in the  blasts in Sri Lanka on 21st April and the Indian media picked this up and linked our organization TNTJ as an extremist organization  associated with the towheed Jamath in Sri Lanka. We are not even remotely connected with the National Nowheed Jamath (NTJ) of Sri Lanka which is banned in 2017 though we do have one of our branches there called ‘Sri Lanka Towheed Jamath’.
 

He explained that the Towheed Jamath  is a non political Islamic organization founded in 2004 in Tamil Nadu and has branches in all of South India and their work is focused mainly on 4 objectives such as giving dawah (inviting people to Islam); socio-religious activities for betterment of social harmony; open questions forum to clear misconceptions of Islam by non-Muslims and also organize  protests in a democratic manner against any injustice irrespective of any religion.  “And in Sri Lanka we are functioning from 2006 and the jamath there is also based on the same objectives” he said.

“We are totally against extremist ideology. We even had a 6 month long propaganda against terrorism some years back. This anti-terrorism campaign ( covered by TwoCircles) was carried out across Tamil Nadu because many Muslim youth do get carried away by extremist ideology and we wanted to educate them on the peaceful ways of Islam.”

“It is sad that Indian Media especially Times of India published an article linking us with the terror act. Our work is all about peace and harmony. We are going to push for an apology because this is very irresponsible on the part of the Times of India.”

The Times house has rectified their mistake by saying TN outfit denies links  with namesake organisation named in the blasts.  But have not apologized for dragging the organization in the incident.

On Sunday, 21st April which was Easter a series of blasts took place in Colombo Negombo, a town north of the capital, and in Batticaloa, a town on the east coast. Churches, hotels and a housing development were targeted. Nearly 320 people have been killed including 45 children.
Latest news is that the ISIS have claimed responsibility for the shameful terror act killing innocent people on Easter – the day that stands for victory over death as Jesus was resurrected on that very day.

Courtesy: Two Circle

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