New Delhi: In a sign that JNU might have gone a step too far in pandering to the Hindu Right, a pro-Modi Muslim forum has criticised the university administration for launching a course on ‘Islamic terrorism". The decision, it says, will have a “negative impact upon the social and secular fabric in country, is uncalled for and will hurt [the] religious sentiments of Indian Muslims.

Besides supporting all of Modi's initiatives, the Forum for Muslim Studies and Analysis (FMSA) has been a vocal supporter of the NDA government’s ban on cow slaughter and has even favoured declaring the cow India's national animal.

In a letter to Union human resource development (HRD) minister Prakash Javadekar, FMSA head Jasim Mohammad, however, made it clear that the forum had no problem with the course as proposed by the university's Academic Council but only it's title.

“FMSA feels that [the] ministry of HRD should intervene and convince the JNU administration to desist from naming the proposed course as “Islamic Terrorism” though it can go on with introducing curriculum on natural security” in the newly established Centre for National Security Studies, Mohammad said in the letter.

Stating that terrorism is still undefined and that “even [the] United Nations has failed to arrive on any consensus on definition of terrorism,” Mohammad reminded the minister that India was a multi-religious country, with Muslims forming the second largest segment.

Incidentally, Mohammad was one of the first Muslim intellectuals in the country to welcome Modi after he won a decisive mandate on behalf of the Bharatiya Janata Party in May 2014 and to have, in his own words, “expressed faith in Modi’s vision of sabka saath, sabka vikas”.

The FMSA, which has also launched ‘Narendra Modi Scholarships for Muslim Students’ , also seemed worried about how the proposed course could affect Modi’s image abroad.

Mohammad writes that Modi had acquired an “international image and even Saudi Arabia had honoured him with its highest civilian award,” adding that if “JNU is allowed to launch [a] course on Islamic Terrorism then not only [the] image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be negatively affected but the opposition parties will also get an issue.”

Mohammad is proud to be called a “Modi Bhakt" and has made his leanings amply clear with books such as Narendra Bhai Modi “Farsh se Arsh Tak”, Statesman Narendra Modi, Mann se Jan tak – Narendra Modi, Aalami Qaid – Narendra Bhai Modi, Narendra Modi Calling, Mann Ki Baat’ I & II and The Message Narendra Modi. In his latest release, he said he hoped Javadekar would“positively consider the above request in national interest.”

In June last year, Mohammad had written a letter to Modi after a spate of mob-lynching incidents involving Muslim youths, such as Junaid. “I feel proud and honoured to be called a ‘Modi bhakt’. I am associated with you and publicly favour you without any hitch. But now thousands of people are asking me questions about this rise of lynching trend, but I am at a loss to reply them,” he wrote, adding that “the failure to take action against the rising trend of anarchy against Muslims, would eventually be bad for Modi’s image of running a strong government.”

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