Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind approaches multiple HCs to stop the release of Udaipur Files, movie based on murder of Kanhaiya Lal: Read how this outfit has a history of defending Islamic terrorists

On Saturday (5th July), the President of the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, Arshad Madani, stirred the hornet’s nest after he informed that the Islamic outfit had filed petitions in several High Courts to prevent the release of the movie ‘Udaipur Files Kanhaiya Lal Tailor Murder.’

The movie is based on the gruesome killing of Kanhaiya Lal, a tailor in Udaipur, on 28th June 2022 by Islamic terrorists Muhammad Riyaz Attari and Muhammad Ghaus. Lal had extended support to former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma in the aftermath of so-called ‘blasphemy’ allegations against her.

Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, which has a history of protecting terrorists, objected to a movie based on the life of Kanhaiya Lal and his eventual murder by two Islamic terrorists. It has approached the High Courts of Delhi, Gujarat and Maharashtra to stop the release of ‘Udaipur Files Kanhaiya Lal Tailor Murder.’

The development was confirmed by the President of the Islamic outfit, Arshad Madani. He also dog-whistled against the makers of the ‘Udaipur Files: Kanhaiya Lal Tailor Murder’, claiming that ‘the film’ carried ‘blasphemous’ remarks about Prophet Muhammad.

“The film’s trailer includes the controversial statement made by Nupur Sharma, which had not only set the entire country on fire but also caused adverse impact on the friendly relations of our country with other nations – damaging the image of our great nation at the global stage, and then forced the BJP to expel her from the party,” Madani brazened out.

He also made veiled threats about Muslims unleashing mayhem and creating a law and order crisis across the country if the film is released.

Arshad Madani remarked, “The trailer presents objectionable remarks against the Prophet of Islam ﷺ and his holy wives, which could disturb peace and public order in the country. The film portrays Deoband as a hub of extremism and uses extremely inflammatory language against its scholars (Ulama).“

He claimed that the film maligned the Muslim community and promoted hatred. The Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind President also whined about references made in the film about the Gyanvapi Mosque, an illegal structure built on the Vishweshwar temple.

“Such content is a violation of the fundamental rights granted under Articles 14, 15, and 21 of the Indian Constitution,” Arshad Madani concluded.

Udaipur Files: What we know about it

The ‘Udaipur Files: Kanhaiya Lal Tailor Murder’ is set to hit the theatres on Friday (11th July). The movie features actor Vijay Raaz in the lead role.

Other actors including Rajneesh Duggal, Preeti Jhangiani, Kamlesh Sawant, Kanchi Singh, Mushtaq Khan are part of the film.

Bharat S Shrinate is the director and writer of the film, which is based on the murder of Udaipur tailor Kanhaiya Lal. The producer is Amit Jani, and the distributor is Reliance Entertainment.

Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind and its history of defending Islamic terrorists

Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind has a history of providing ‘legal services’ to Islamic terrorists. The legal cell, set up by Arshad Madani in 2007, takes up the cases and enlists lawyers to defend the terror accused in the courts.

According to a New Indian Express report, the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind has offered its services to around 700 accused. What is worrying about such interventions is that they have been able to get acquittals of at least 192 terror accused since 2007.

Most of the acquittals have not come because they were found innocent; instead, they were being released due to technicality or lack of evidence or because of the poor investigation by the police.

The 7/11 Mumbai train blasts, the 2006 Malegaon blasts and the Aurangabad Arms cases were some of the initial cases that were taken up by the JUH legal cell. Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind had also defended the accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks case, the 2011 Mumbai triple blasts case, Mulund blast case, Gateway of India blasts case.

On its website, the JUH has listed the terror-related cases it is fighting on behalf of the accused Muslims.

In 2013, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind had provided free legal aid to Indian Mujahedeen terrorist Mirza Himayat Baig, who was accused in the German Bakery bomb blast case. The Indian Mujahideen terrorist was sentenced to death by a Pune court on April 18, 2013, along with co-accused Yasin Bhatkal.

Some of the other cases in which Jamiat has come forward to provide legal aid to terror-accused:

• Lashkar Connection Case (Abdul Rahman V/s State SLP)
• ISIS conspiracy case Kochi (State of Kerala v/s Arshi Qureshi & others)
• ISIS conspiracy case Mumbai (Arshi Qurashi & others v/s State of Maharashtra)
• ISIS conspiracy case (State of Rajasthan v/s Sirajuddin)
• 26/11 Mumbai attack case (Syed Zabiuddin v/s State of Maharashtra)
• Chinnaswamy Stadium Bomb Blast Case (State V/s Qatil Siddiqui and others)
• Jungli Maharaj Road Pune Bomb blast case (A.T.S. v/s Asad Khan & others)
• Indian Mujahideen Case (Maharashtra VS Afzal Usmani & others)
• Zaveri Bazar Serial Blast (State v/s Azaz Shaikh and others)
• SIMI conspiracy case (Madhya Pradesh) State V/S Irfan Muchale & others)
• Jama Masjid Blast Case (Delhi State V/s Qateel Siddqui Others)
• Indian Mujahideen conspiracy case (State vs. Yasin Bhatkal & others) Ahmedabad Serial Blast Case 2008 (State V/s Jahid & Others)

In addition to supporting the terror-accused, the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind had recently stoked a controversy by extending all possible legal and financial aid to the killers of Hindu leader Kamlesh Tiwari, who was brutally assassinated in his office in Lucknow.

The Jamiat had said that it is willing to bear all the legal costs and had also offered the head of their legal cell to defend the five accused in the Kamlesh Tiwari murder.

In June 2021, the Deoband-based organisation had also deputed its lawyers to defend alleged Al-Qaeda terrorists in Uttar Pradesh. The organisation had declared that it would provide legal assistance to the two terror suspects.

In February 2022, it came to the rescue of 49 terrorists, who were convicted for planning and executing 21 bomb blasts in Ahmedabad that killed nearly 56 innocent people.

Well, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind has every right to defend convicts and accused that it perceives were implicated on false charges.

However, when it jumps to the rescue of those charged with terrorism, including convicts who have a watertight case against them, it is essentially sending a message to all radical elements that no matter what, they will continue to support them regardless of their culpability.

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