Jamiat goes into damage control mode, gen secy quits

It is learnt that the resignation of Mahmood Madani is part of a compromise formula being worked out by the heads of various Muslim organisations, including the Deoband to resolve the crisis that has engulfed the organisation for quite some time. The organisation will be holding elections within three months from now.

Along with Maulana Mahmood Madani, who is a Rajya Sabha MP of Rashtriya Lok Dal, Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind’s “newly elected president” Moulana Mohammed Quari Usman also resigned on Thursday.

Interestingly, Maulana Arshad Madani had staged a walkout from the March 6 meeting with his supporters terming his expulsion as “against the Jamiat constitution” and had in turn “expelled” general secretary Maulana Mahmood Madani and six of his supporters. He had claimed that he was still the president under Section 66 of the Jamiat constitution.

Sources close to Mahmood Madani told The Indian Express that he decided to resign from the post in the interests of the organisation. “Otherwise, it would have led to a virtual fight between the two which would not have augured well for the organisation,” the source said.

Maulana Arshad Madani had taken over the reins of the organisation after the death of his brother and Jamiat patron, Maulana Asad Madani. A power struggle was on between Arshad and Mahmood Madani, son of Moulana Asad Madani, ever since.

Mahmood Madani had hogged headlines recently with his declaration that terrorism was “un-islamic”. He had also been a harsh critic of the Left on the Nandigram issue.