Child rights body seeks action over ‘anti-India’ fatwa on website of Darul Uloom Deoband

Darul Uloom Deoband is an Islamic school or madrasa in India where the Deobandi Islamic movement began. According to the NCPCR’s letter, the fatwa issued on “Ghazwa-e-Hind” or “invasion of India” will lead to hatred against the country.

“The Commission has come across another objectionable content on (the) website of Darul Uloom Deoband madrasa. The fatwa talks about the invasion of India (Ghazwa-e-Hind) and how whoever will be martyred in it is a great martyr. Darul Uloom Deoband, a madrasa is an academic body of Islamic education and affiliating Madrasas across South Asia. Such kind of fatwas is exposing children to hatred against one’s own country and eventually causing them unnecessary mental or physical suffering,” the letter states.

The fatwa issued on the website is in response to a query posted on the website whether Hadith talks about invasion of India or the Ghazwa-e-Hind, said NCPCR chairperson Priyank Kanoongo.

“We received a complaint about this particular fatwa and we have taken suo moto cognizance of the issue. We have issued the letter and we have given them three days to take action. If no action is taken, then we will plan our next step accordingly,” Kanoongo told The Indian Express. The fatwa, the letter said, is “violation of Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015”.