In a forceful defence of his recent remarks, Maulana Mahmood Madani said he stood firmly by every word he had spoken, asserting that his comments were rooted in his long-standing opposition to violence and injustice.
“We have been fighting those who commit riots and bomb blasts for the last 30 years,” Madani said. “Speaking against oppression and injustice is our Jihad. Rioters are seen as innocent, but when we speak up, we are labelled Jihadis. This is our struggle, and we will continue it. There is nothing in my speech that I want to take back—I have said the right thing, and I will keep saying it.”
Addressing the controversy over Vande Mataram, he clarified: “Yes, I said Vande Mataram. But no one can be compelled to say it. We believe in one God. Why force us to bow before anything else? Let us remain Muslims.”
On criticism of his views related to the Supreme Court, Madani maintained that his responsibility is to articulate the concerns of the community his organisation represents. “If I do not speak about the issues that worry my community, who will?” he said. “People are free to say I am wrong. It doesn’t matter to me. I have expressed the concerns that needed to be expressed.”
(More details awaited)
