Even though the controversy and discussions over Pala Bishop Mar Joseph Kallarangatt’s ‘Narcotic Jihad’ remarks continue to haunt Kerala, another Church seems to have added fuel to the communal fire. According to media reports, a catechism textbook was published and circulated by the Syro-Malabar Church’s Thamarassery diocese, even though it allegedly contains “several defamatory and derogatory statements against Islam.” 

This lead to protests by several Muslim organisations, who asked the government to impound the book, reported Indian Express. The catechism book, is reportedly for students of classes X to XII, and allegedly also says that the so-called “love jihad” is reality, and according to IE, it “goes on to detail how Christian women are allegedly trapped.”

The catechism book calls it an “organised activity,” and warns the youth “against accepting invitations for events from Muslims, two-wheeler rides, and even visits to ice cream parlours.” Soon, after the protests, the diocese of Thamarassery was forced to tender an apology and “explained” that “the book was meant only to retain the youth within the Christian faith and protect women.” While this ‘apology’ itself needs to be questioned and debated, news reports stated that the diocese of Thamarassery had in its release claimed that 160 women of the diocese had been “trapped” in “love jihad”.

Activist, Jesuit priest and scholar Fr Cedric Prakash SJ prakash had explained the bogey of ‘Love Jihad’  as fueled by the Kerala Bishop who accused Muslims of making Catholic girls in the state victims of love and narcotic jihad, and the former Gujarat CM who wanted to take action against those who ‘trap innocent girls’, disregard the agency and wisdom of adult women.

Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) has been one of the crusades, educating the people against the illusion of ‘Love Jihad’ that has led violence and intimidation by police and non-state actors. “he ‘Love Jihad’ laws legitimise unconstitutional, anti-minority and misogynistic beliefs, and help further the hateful, communal agenda of extremists, and CJP has challenged anti-conversion  laws as they impinge upon the privacy, freedoms and autonomy of consenting adults.

On February 17, the Supreme Court Bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde and also comprising Justices AS Bopanna and V. Ramasubramanian, admitted CJP’s amendment to its original petition to include the Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Ordinance, 2020 and Himachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act, 2019. CJP’s original petition had challenged the laws of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand to be ultra vires of the Constitution on which the top court had issued a notice to the respective States on January 6, 2021. 

The laws have been challenged on grounds that it is discriminatory, anti-women, and contravenes the right to privacy and personal liberty of citizens by criminalising interfaith unions. Thus, CJP has prayed for the Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion Act (2018), Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance, 2020, Madhya Pradesh to Freedom of Religion Ordinance, 2020 and Himachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act, 2019 to be declared anti-Constitutional and struck down.

Related:

The bogey of ‘Love Jihad’
Sections of the Kerala church getting dangerously communal?
Who will decide how many children an Indian woman should bear?
Anti-conversion law will not apply to inter-faith marriages unless there is force, fraud

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Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamath organised a massive demonstration against the Supreme Court verdict regarding the Babri Masjid verdict, condemning the decision, saying the promise of rebuilding the mosque was never fulfilled. 

“While so much injustice has been done to Muslims, an image has been strongly being portrayed as if the Muslims unanimously had accepted the verdict…to ensure that it is not misrepresented in history, Tamilnadu Thowheed Jamaath is holding a massive protest,” said the organisation.

TNTJ said the Supreme Court was expected to provide judgement based on laws instead provided the verdict based on beliefs. “This decision has been extremely disappointing for Muslims, who were hoping for justice,” the organisation added. 

Tamilnadu Thowheed Jamaath also appealed to the Muslim proponents to not accept this 5-acre land offered to them.

Courtesy: Two Circles

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The TMMK and MMK in their press release have said that, “The Triple Talaq Bill paves way for imprisonment of innocent Muslim men on the false claim that they have pronounced Triple Talaq and at the same time rendering the Muslim woman and her family desolate.”

The Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) is another ‘Black Act’ that is an unjust law that trounces upon all facets of Justice. The National Investigation Agency in the name of curbing terrorism is indulging in arbitrary and unjust activities.

Protest held in Madurai

About the scraping of the special status of J 7 K, the press release states “It is evident that communal bias has instigated the central Government to abrogate Art 35A and suspend Art 370 from the Constitution, imprison leaders of Kashmir and divide Jammu and Kashmir in to two Union Territories by holding the people of Kashmir by the force of gun.”

The Mob lynching incidents have all been carried out in the name of beef and refusal to chant Jai Shri Ram. The videos of the inhuman acts have been circulated with impunity implying that the perpetrators have the indirect support of the Central Government and the state BJP Governments; said the statement.

Protest in Chennai

“A Country should be governed by the Constitutional Laws with the aim to uphold and safeguard the welfare of the people. The Central Government in contradiction to this objective making use of the brutal majority in the Parliament has brought these Black laws,” said Dr. M.H. Jawahirullah the president of MMK.

Dr. Jawahirullah told twocircles.net, “Around 60,000 people came out to participate in the protest from the 4 cities of Tamil Nadu. Leaders from DMK, Congress, CPM, CPI, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi; representatives of other NGOs and movements such as People’s watch and Christian Goodwill Movement joined us in our protest.”

“ This mass protest is the beginning, we are going to continue our struggle, he added, “ We will educate the people about these Acts and how they are going to affect us. Already a petition against the abrogation of the special status of J & K has been filed in the SC, we will have our executive meeting in which we will decide what further action we can take to repel these black laws”.

‘The massive agitation that took place yesterday has kindled the spirit of opposition throughout the state and people are demanding their withdrawal,’ Dr. Jawahirullah concluded.

Other prominent leaders who were part of the protest are Central Chennai District President Abdul Salaam, South Chennai District President Ghori (alias) Muhammad Abu Backer, and North Chennai District President F. Usman Ali; P. S. Hameed, Vice President, TMMK and Chief Administrative Council Member P. M. R. Shamshuddin, Deputy General Secretary M. Yaqoob,  Kunangudi Haniffa, Member, Chief Administrative Council of TMMK ,Dr. M. H. Jawahirullah, President of Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam and Manithaneya Makkal Katchi, D.M.K. Secretary R.S. Bharathi, M.P., Communist Party of India (Marxist) Politburo Member Mr. G. Ramakrishnan, Communist Party of India State Deputy Secretary M. Veerapandian, Viduthalai Chiruthaikal Party’s General Secretary D. Ravi Kumar M.P., Coordinator Thirumurugan Gandhi and Christian Goodwill Movement coordinator Inigo Irudhayaraj.

Courtesy: Two circles
 

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