‘Who Is He Threatening’: Jamiat Leader’s Speech Mentioning ‘Vande Mataram’, ‘Jihad’ Sparks Big Row

Last Updated:November 29, 2025, 5:48 PM IST

The cleric also launched a sharp attack on the judiciary, claiming recent verdicts suggested the courts were functioning under government pressure.

Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind president Maulana Mahmood Madani on Saturday accused sections of the government, media and political leadership of deliberately distorting the meaning of “jihad,” turning what he described as a core Islamic principle into a term of abuse.

Speaking at the organisation’s National Governing Body meeting in Bhopal, Madani said the growing use of expressions such as “love jihad,” “land jihad,” and “spit jihad” reflected an attempt to malign Muslim identity.

“Enemies of Islam and Muslims have made ‘jihad’ synonymous with abuse, conflict and violence,” he said, alleging that even “responsible voices” in government and media used such terms without hesitation.

Madani maintained that the Quran defines jihad in several contexts, including personal responsibility and public welfare. “Whenever there is oppression, there will be jihad,” he said, linking the concept to resistance against injustice.

Madani Questions Judicial Independence

The cleric also launched a sharp attack on the judiciary, claiming recent verdicts suggested the courts were functioning under government pressure.

Citing rulings on the Babri Masjid dispute, triple talaq and other matters, he argued that these decisions “raise questions on the character of the courts.”

“Supreme Court is eligible to be called supreme only when it follows the Constitution,” Madani said. “If it doesn’t uphold the law, it does not deserve to be called ‘Supreme’.”

He further criticised anti-conversion laws enacted in several states, saying they undermined the constitutional guarantee of religious freedom.

According to him, these laws were being used selectively. “Those conducting ‘Ghar Wapasi’ have a free hand, while others face fear and punishment,” he said.

Madani claimed Muslims were facing bulldozer demolitions, mob violence, seizure of Waqf properties and targeted campaigns against madrasas, creating a climate of insecurity.

He also courted controversy by remarking that a “dead community” would be forced to recite Vande Mataram without resistance.

BJP Hits Back

Delhi BJP spokesperson Yaser Jilani sharply criticized Madani’s comments, asking whom the Jamiat leader was attempting to threaten with his remark, “Agar hum par zulm hoga, toh jihad hoga.”

“He is a political man. I heard his speech. He was describing ‘jihad’ in Islamic manner…But he contradicted himself and said ‘agar hum pe zulm hoga, toh jihad hoga’. Who is he threatening? Govt of India?…Don’t threaten like this. Govt of India and PM Narendra Modi think for everyone…Mahmood Madani is trying to vitiate harmony,” Jilani said.

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) also issued a blistering response, accusing Madani of promoting extremist views.

VHP spokesperson Vinod Bansal said the cleric had “spewed jihadist venom on the sacred soil of Bhopal,” alleging that his remarks aimed to incite Muslim youth and insult the nation.

Bansal said Madani’s comments on Vande Mataram amounted to an affront to freedom fighters and martyrs, and accused him of making “filthy” allegations against the Supreme Court.

“He has dared to question the impartiality of the judiciary and deny the supremacy of the Supreme Court,” he said.

Claiming that Madani’s statements would fuel radicalisation and encourage disrespect for national symbols and institutions, the VHP demanded strict action from law-enforcement agencies.

Bansal said the Muslim community must decide “how long they will allow their youth to be led down a destructive path by such leaders,” and urged the Supreme Court to take note of his remarks.

Ronit Singh

Ronit Singh, Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com, works with the India and Breaking News team. He has a keen focus on Indian politics and aims to cover unexplored angles. Ronit is an alumnus of Christ (Deemed to be…Read More

Ronit Singh, Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com, works with the India and Breaking News team. He has a keen focus on Indian politics and aims to cover unexplored angles. Ronit is an alumnus of Christ (Deemed to be… Read More

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