Youth Welfare Mahbubnagar Calls for United Framework to Counter Extremism, Promote Communal Harmony

Mahbubnagar: In the wake of recent extremist attacks that have shaken the nation and heightened communal tensions, Khalid Naveed, President of Youth Welfare Mahbubnagar, has called for a comprehensive framework to counter extremism and strengthen communal harmony, emphasizing that the actions of fringe elements must not define an entire faith community.

In a press statement, Naveed said the Indian Muslim and Islamic community is confronting a dual crisis—terrorist violence perpetrated by extremist elements, particularly against non-Muslims, and the subsequent backlash in the form of Islamophobia, physical assaults, marginalization, and social exclusion. Referring to the April 2025 Pahalgam attack and the recent Red Fort blast, he noted that both incidents, which involved extremist elements targeting civilians and tourists, shocked the nation and ignited widespread communal tension.

He pointed out that in the aftermath of these incidents, Muslim communities, including educational institutions and community centres, came under increased scrutiny, while incidents of physical assaults on migrant labourers made national headlines. Such acts of violence, claimed by fringe groups, he said, cast a shadow over the broader Muslim community, which remains a vibrant and integral part of India’s social fabric.

Naveed stressed that a key challenge facing Indian Muslims is the persistent misrepresentation of Islam due to extremist violence. “The overwhelming majority of Muslims in India and across the world unequivocally denounce terrorism and violence,” he said, adding that repeated associations of Islam with violence foster suspicion and impose an unfair moral and social burden on Indian Muslims to constantly prove their patriotism and commitment to peace.

Calling for a multi-pronged strategy, Naveed urged Muslim communities to confront extremism head-on while pressing the global community to adopt clear resolutions distinguishing Islam from terrorism, extremism, and violence. He advocated for a universal charter on deradicalization, supported by diasporic communities, civil society, and pressure groups, recognizing terrorism as a grave threat to global peace and security.

Highlighting India’s long-standing traditions of pluralism, Naveed said Indian Islam has historically stood for unity in diversity and interfaith harmony. He proposed transforming this legacy into a global campaign—supported by the Government of India—that projects “Indian Islam” as compassionate, inclusive, and peace-oriented. Religious institutions, scholars, preachers, and civil society actors, he said, should be proactively engaged through conferences, interfaith dialogues, cultural exchanges, and collaborative community initiatives.

He concluded by urging Muslim organizations and scholars to intensify campaigns, symposiums, and public lectures to reinforce Islamic teachings of peace, harmony, and coexistence, and to firmly counter radicalization and terrorism.