‘There will be jihad if there is oppression,’ says Jamiat chief Madani, triggers political storm

Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind President Mahmood Madani has sparked a controversy with his statement on Saturday saying that “if there is oppression, there will be jihad,” while also accusing the judiciary and the government of undermining minority rights. His remarks have triggered sharp political reactions from the BJP, accusing him of inciting Muslims and challenging constitutional institutions.

Speaking at the National Governing Body Meeting of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh on Saturday, Madani alleged that recent court verdicts, including those on the Babri Masjid and triple talaq cases, suggested that the judiciary was functioning “under government pressure.” He claimed that “many such decisions” had emerged in recent years which “openly violated the rights of minorities guaranteed in the Constitution.”

Referring to cases despite the Places of Worship Act, 1991, Madani said such developments highlighted constitutional deviations. “The Supreme Court is entitled to be called ‘Supreme’ only as long as the Constitution is protected there,” he said. “If this does not happen, then it does not deserve to be called supreme.”

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Madani also remarked on public sentiment regarding Muslims in India and said that 10 per cent of people are supportive, 30 per cent are against them, while 60 per cent are silent. He urged Muslims to actively engage with this silent majority. “Explain your issues to them. If these 60 per cent people turn against Muslims, then there will be a big danger in the country,” he warned.

‘Jihad was and will always remain holy’

Objecting to the portrayal of jihad in public discourse, Madani accused the media and government of distorting a sacred concept and criticised the usage of phrases like “love jihad,” “spit jihad,” and “land jihad,” saying they misrepresent the true meaning.

“Jihad was and will always remain holy,” he said, adding that religious texts mention jihad only “for the good and betterment of others.”

Madani said that India’s secular democratic framework does not allow any violent interpretation. “Here Muslims show loyalty to the Constitution,” he said.

In another contentious remark, Madani mentioned Vande Mataram. He said, “A dead community surrenders. If they say ‘say Vande Mataram,’ they will start reading it. This will be the identity of a dead community. If we are a living community, we will have to face the situation.”

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‘In the name of jihad, people have spread terror in India and beyond,’ reacts BJP

The Jamiat chief’s remarks drew an intense response from BJP leaders, who accused him of inciting Muslims and challenging constitutional institutions.

BJP MP and party spokesperson Sambit Swaraj said the statement made by Maulana Mahmood Madani is not only inflammatory but also an attempt on his part to push the country toward division.

“His assertion that ‘whenever there is oppression, there will be jihad’ is highly inappropriate. We have seen how, in the name of jihad, people have spread terror in India and beyond India’s borders,” the BJP leader said.

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MLA Rameshwar Sharma said that “new Jinnahs are emerging in India who are trying to provoke the country’s Muslims,” and demanded that the Supreme Court take suo motu cognisance of Madani’s comments and initiate action.

Accusing him of encouraging practices that disrupt national peace, Sharma said that if anyone “violates the Constitution or questions the judiciary,” action should be taken against them under sedition-like provisions and they should be put in jail.