Religious Leaders and Intellectuals Call for Communal Harmony and National Unity at Hindu-Muslim Unity Conference in Lucknow
Lucknow,: A Hindu-Muslim Unity Conference, organised by Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind Uttar Pradesh at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Scientific Convention Centre in Lucknow, brought together prominent religious leaders, legal experts, intellectuals, social activists, and representatives of different faiths to promote communal harmony, constitutional values, and national unity.
Addressing the gathering, Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind President Maulana Arshad Madani expressed concern over the prevailing social and political atmosphere in the country. He said that hatred and communal division pose serious challenges to the nation’s social fabric and stressed the need for collective efforts to restore mutual trust and brotherhood.
“We want to light the lamps of love amid the storms of hatred,” he said, adding that people from all religions and communities must come together to raise a united voice against hatred and communalism.
Maulana Madani clarified that Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind is a religious and non-political organisation committed to promoting humanity, peace, communal harmony, and national integration. He said the organisation has consistently worked beyond religious identities to serve people in times of need.
Highlighting Jamiat’s humanitarian work, he referred to relief efforts during floods in Kerala and Punjab, where assistance was provided without any discrimination based on religion. He also mentioned the organisation’s legal intervention during the Assam NRC process, stating that it played a significant role in protecting the citizenship rights of millions of affected women.
Expressing concern over repeated examination paper leaks, Maulana Madani said that the future of lakhs of students was being adversely affected and called for urgent reforms in the education system. Commenting on the controversy surrounding Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar University in Rampur, he said that while legal violations should be dealt with according to law, any action must also consider the future of thousands of students studying there.
The conference’s chief guest, Dr. Bishambhar Nath Mishra, Mahant of the Sankat Mochan Temple in Varanasi, said that India’s freedom was achieved through the sacrifices of people from all communities. He urged citizens to raise their voices against injustice and expressed full support for Maulana Madani’s campaign to strengthen communal harmony.
Senior Supreme Court advocate Indira Jaising emphasised the importance of the Indian Constitution in ensuring equality and justice for all citizens. She said the participation of people from diverse faiths at the conference reflected the enduring strength of India’s unity and pluralistic traditions.
Reading out the conference declaration, Maulana Asjad Madani, Vice President of Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind and convener of the campaign, said the initiative is entirely non-political and aims to strengthen trust, mutual respect, and cooperation among different religions and communities. He announced that similar programmes would be organised across the country with the participation of religious scholars, community leaders, intellectuals, legal experts, youth, women, and social activists.
Welcoming the participants, Maulana Ashhad Rashidi, President of Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind Uttar Pradesh, said that love, mutual respect, and brotherhood are the foundations of India’s shared cultural heritage. He remarked that people from different faiths coming together on one platform demonstrates that the voice of love is stronger than the voice of hatred.
Representatives from the Buddhist, Sikh, Christian, and other religious communities also addressed the conference. They unanimously stressed the importance of promoting peace, communal harmony, mutual respect, and national unity, while extending their support to the campaign initiated by Maulana Arshad Madani.
