Hyderabad: Govt adviser Mohammed Ali Shabbir on Friday said attempts to divide Indians on religious lines and reduce any community to second-class citizens would never succeed as long as secular forces and organisations committed to communal harmony continued to uphold the country’s democratic and constitutional values.Inaugurating the three-day exhibition and seminar, “Beyond the Divide – Countering Hate, Building Harmony”, organised by Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH), Greater Hyderabad, at the Exhibition Grounds in Nampally, Shabbir Ali appreciated the organisation’s initiative to counter misinformation, challenge communal prejudices and promote dialogue between different communities.Addressing the gathering, he said India’s strength lay in its diversity, shared history and the sacrifices made by people belonging to different religions during the freedom struggle. He particularly recalled the contribution of Muslim religious scholars, saying several ulema had fought against British rule and sacrificed their lives for the country’s independence.He expressed concern over attempts to portray Muslims as outsiders or treat them as second-class citizens in their own country. He said such efforts were contrary to the inclusive spirit of India’s freedom movement and the constitutional principles on which the Republic was founded.
