In a political salvo that has sent shockwaves through the corridors of power, Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind (JUH) president Maulana Arshad Madani has launched a blistering attack on the Indian National Congress. His core accusation? That the party, during its long stints in government, not only failed to curb but actively enabled hate politics, an act he claims has inflicted ‘severe damage to the country’ .
This isn’t just another political barb; it’s a profound critique from a leader of one of India’s oldest and most influential Muslim organizations. For decades, the JUH and the Congress shared a complex, often symbiotic relationship, rooted in their joint opposition to the partition of India and a shared, albeit sometimes strained, commitment to secularism . Madani’s recent statements, however, signal a potential rupture in this historic alliance, raising critical questions about the Congress’s legacy and its current political strategy.
Table of Contents
- The Explosive Allegation: A Betrayal of Secularism?
- Historical Context: A Faltering Alliance
- Why Now? The Timing of Madani’s Attack
- Congress Response and Political Fallout
- Broader Implications for Indian Politics
- Conclusion: A Warning from History
- Sources
The Explosive Allegation: A Betrayal of Secularism?
Maulana Madani’s central charge is stark and unambiguous. He contends that the Congress party, while in power, adopted what he termed a “flexible policy” towards religion-based politics . Instead of taking a firm, uncompromising stand against communal forces, the party allegedly chose a path of political expediency. This perceived leniency, according to Madani, created a permissive environment where the seeds of hate could be sown and nurtured .
He lamented that past Congress leadership did not heed the warnings and pleas from the JUH to act decisively against what he described as the “madness of communalism” . In his view, this failure wasn’t a passive oversight but an active choice that directly contributed to the current climate of division. “Had the Congress taken a strict stand against communalism… the situation would have been different today,” he argued .
For Madani, the consequences of this alleged inaction are dire. He believes it has not only eroded the foundational secular values of the Indian Constitution but has also left minority communities, particularly Muslims, vulnerable to systemic discrimination and violence . His statement that the Congress “caused severe damage to the country” is a direct indictment of its stewardship of India’s pluralistic democracy .
Historical Context: A Faltering Alliance
To fully grasp the weight of Madani’s criticism, one must look back at the intertwined history of the JUH and the Congress. Founded in 1919, the JUH was a key player in the Khilafat Movement, which it ran in close collaboration with the Indian National Congress under Mahatma Gandhi’s leadership . Both entities stood firmly against the two-nation theory and the eventual partition of India.
However, the post-independence relationship has been fraught with tension. While the JUH remained a vocal advocate for Muslim rights and secularism, it has often found itself at odds with the Congress over specific policies and its perceived appeasement or, conversely, its failure to protect Muslim interests during communal crises. Madani’s father, the late Maulana Asad Madani, was a prominent Congress MP, symbolizing the deep personal and political ties between the two.
The current president’s sharp critique suggests a growing disillusionment within the JUH leadership. They appear to have concluded that the Congress’s historical approach was fundamentally flawed, prioritizing short-term electoral gains over the long-term health of India’s social fabric. This represents a significant evolution from mere policy disagreement to a wholesale questioning of the party’s core philosophy on communal harmony.
Why Now? The Timing of Madani’s Attack
The timing of this public broadside is crucial. With national elections on the horizon, Madani’s remarks can be seen as a strategic move to influence the political discourse. By holding the Congress accountable for its past, he is effectively challenging the party’s claim to be the primary bulwark against majoritarian politics.
His comments also come amidst a period of intense scrutiny of the treatment of minorities in India. Madani has previously spoken about the “systematic barriers” faced by Muslims and warned that “intolerance is now a governing condition” . By linking the current state of affairs to the Congress’s historical actions, he is crafting a narrative that places responsibility on multiple actors, not just the current ruling establishment. This serves to remind voters, especially from minority communities, that their challenges have deep historical roots and that a simple return to the past may not be the solution.
Congress Response and Political Fallout
As of now, the Congress party has not issued a formal, high-level response to Madani’s specific allegations. However, the political fallout is already evident. The statement puts the Congress on the defensive, forcing it to reckon with its own complicated legacy on communal issues—a topic it often uses to criticize its rivals.
This development is a significant blow to the Congress’s efforts to rebuild its traditional support base among minority voters. If influential voices like Madani’s continue to express such deep skepticism, it could further fragment the opposition space and complicate any grand alliance against the BJP. It also opens the door for other regional parties to position themselves as more credible defenders of minority rights.
Broader Implications for Indian Politics
Madani’s critique transcends the immediate Congress-JUH dynamic. It speaks to a larger crisis of faith in India’s traditional political frameworks for managing diversity. His assertion that “Indian Muslims do not hate BJP or love Congress, SP, MIM, TMC. It is only due to the hate politics… that is drifting away the Muslims” highlights a deep sense of alienation and a search for genuine representation .
This sentiment underscores a critical challenge for all political parties: the need to move beyond transactional politics and offer a substantive, principled vision for a truly inclusive India. Madani’s warning is that the cost of political flexibility on matters of hate and communalism is nothing less than the integrity of the nation itself.
Conclusion: A Warning from History
Maulana Arshad Madani’s powerful indictment of the Congress party is more than a political statement; it’s a cautionary tale from a key stakeholder in India’s democratic journey. By accusing the Congress of enabling hate politics and causing ‘severe damage to the country,’ he has thrown down a gauntlet, demanding accountability for past failures. This moment serves as a stark reminder that the fight for India’s secular soul requires unwavering principle, not political convenience. For the Congress, and indeed for all political formations, the path forward must be paved with a clear, uncompromising rejection of all forms of communalism, or risk further fracturing the nation’s fragile unity. For more on the evolving political landscape, see our analysis on [INTERNAL_LINK:indian-secularism-crisis].