Arrest of Alt News Co-founder Muhammad Zubair is an act of discrimination

President of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, Maulana Mahmood Madani writes letter to HMI to look into the matter

New Delhi: June 28, 2022: Maulana Mahmood Asa’d Madani, President of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, has strongly criticized the motive behind the arrest of Alt News Co-founder Muhammad Zubair terming it a discriminatory action. He noted that the job of Alt News is to sort out the truth in the age of spreading false and fake information, which is in fact a great service to the country. That should be welcomed.
In this regard, Maulana Madani has also sent a letter to the Home Minister stating that the discriminatory nature of the functioning of law enforcement agencies is condemnable. “On the one hand, people who openly deliver hate speeches and make genocide call are roaming free, while on the other hand journalists who are tirelessly working in exposing such hate-mongers are being systematically harassed and intimidated. Mohammad Zubair, the co-founder of fact-checking website Alt-News, was called for an investigation by Delhi Police in a case related to the Delhi riots 2020. In this case, he had the protection of the Hon’ble High Court from being arrested. Yet he was arrested in a different case of 2018 for which he was given no notice.”

He further said “There is no doubt that the people accused of hurting religious sentiments of other people’s faith, their holy saints and holy their books with the intention to cause communal disturbance must be dealt with firmly as per the provision of the law. However, there must not be any discrimination in dealing with such people on the basis of their particular faith. In the present case, we observe clear-cut discrimination and religious persecution. We solemnly appeal to you as the guardian of the law enforcement to kindly make sure that absolute equality and impartiality is exercised by the law enforcement agencies in dealing with the hate mongers irrespective of their faith.”

Maulana Madani said that the justice-loving people of the country are right to feel that those who insulted the honour of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) have not been arrested so far. It seems that the police have no intention of doing so, which is a very saddening and heartbreaking process. Therefore, we demand that the government take fair action and respect the country’s reputation at the international level.

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Niaz Ahmad Farooqi
Secretary, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind

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