The Hindu : Vajpayee hits out at `jehadi' Islam

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 13, 2002

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Vajpayee hits out at `jehadi' Islam

By Neena Vyas

The Prime Minister, A.B. Vajpayee, (left) with the Home Minister, L.K. Advani, at a public meeting in Goa on Friday. — AP

PANAJI APRIL 12. There are two kinds of Islam — one that believes in truth and kindness, and another which is rearing its head as militant Islam in the name of jehad... It is this Islam which wants to mould the entire world, the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, said at a public meeting here today.

Criticising what he called `jehadi' Islam, Mr. Vajpayee said: "Wherever there are Muslims, they do not want to live with others (who practise different faiths). Instead of living peacefully, they want to preach and propagate their religion by creating fear and terror in the minds of others.''

Mr. Vajpayee's attack on `jehadi' Islam took everyone here by surprise. He asserted that India was a multi-religious society and "we do not believe in religious fundamentalism.'' No one should challenge India's commitment to secularism, he said pointing out that it had been tolerant towards all faiths which had chosen to make it their home, long before Christianity and Islam had come to this land.

Speaking specifically on the Gujarat events, the Prime Minister virtually blamed the entire violence on the Godhra carnage, saying categorically that "if there had been no Godhra, the tragedy in Gujarat would not have occurred.''

"Who were those who burnt people alive? The Intelligence agencies are trying to find out. But let us not forget how the whole thing started. Who started the fire? How did it spread,'' he asked, even as he promised that his Government would try to establish the facts. Often, small and big incidents occurred, but "if one goes to the root, you will see that there is tolerance in India.''

Coming down heavily on conversions, he said that as long as people worshipped their own Gods in their own way, they had been respected in India.

It was now that countries of the world were getting together to fight the menace of terrorism. In many countries, the view was gaining ground that Muslims should be taught science and other subjects in `madrasas' along with the teachings of Islam, but "they should not be taught to have their way on the strength of the sword.''

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