A political row erupted on Saturday after Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind president Maulana Mahmood Madani, during the organisation's governing body meeting in Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal, accused the Supreme Court of functioning "under government pressure" and said the institution "does not deserve to be called supreme" if it fails to fully enforce the Constitution.
Addressing hundreds of delegates, Madani claimed that attempts to "spread hatred against Islam and Muslims" have intensified. He said the sacred Islamic concept of jihad is being "deliberately distorted" and equated with terrorism. "Terms like love jihad, land jihad, and spit jihad are being coined only to defame Muslims," he said. "In Islam, jihad means the struggle against injustice and oppression. Whenever oppression exists, there will be jihad."
Madani alleged that Muslims across the country were being targeted for their "religious attire, identity, and lifestyle," and said that despite being equal citizens, they face "growing barriers" in education, employment, and social mobility.
He warned that Muslims are being made to feel insecure, citing "bulldozer action, mob lynching, economic boycotts, and hate campaigns" as examples. He said conversion laws had "criminalised the practice of offering prayers and teaching Muslims," while certain organisations were being given "free rein."
Madani also opposed government attempts to regulate Waqf properties, stating, "Waqf is a trust created by Muslims. Interference in it will not be tolerated."
Calling the current climate "dangerous," he said that a silent majority in the country could "turn towards hate-mongers," posing risks to national unity. He appealed to Muslim youth to "renounce despair, stay vigilant, and safeguard their constitutional rights."
Madani's comments triggered a fierce political counterattack from the BJP.
Madhya Pradesh's Minister for Cooperation, Sports and Youth Welfare, Vishwas Sarang, slammed the Jamiat chief's remarks on the Constitution and the Supreme Court. "If someone who breathes India's air and drinks its water questions Vande Mataram, it is an insult to the Constitutional system," Sarang said. "Madani has been playing sectarian politics for too long. Disrespecting the Constitution and now attacking the Supreme Court is unfortunate."
BJP MLA Rameshwar Sharma invoked historical texts like the Babarnama and Akbarnama, arguing that even Mughal rulers recorded temple destruction. "If courts today restore temples, what is wrong in that?" he asked.
Sharma added that if Madani wants Islam not to be defamed, "educate your children to stay away from acts like love jihad and land jihad".
