DEOBANDI MODERATES TRUMP HARDLINERS, BUT DEEP

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 000904

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DEPT FOR SCA/INS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/28/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL SOCI KISL IN
SUBJECT: DEOBANDI MODERATES TRUMP HARDLINERS, BUT DEEP
FISSURES REMAIN

REF: NEW DELHI 623

Classified By: DepPolCouns Atul Keshap for reasons 1.4 (B,D)


1. (C) Summary: At a March 6 meeting of Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind
(JUH),the political wing of the influential conservative
Darul Uloom Deoband madrassa, the anti-US General Secretary
Mahmood Madani summarily dismissed the more moderate
President Arshad Madani, and tried to install his own
candidate. However, Arshad refused to accept the decision
and boycotted the meeting. After three weeks of sparring in
the press, Mahmood backed down, lacking numerical support
within the organization. The triumph of restraint represents
a positive sign for US interests as they relate to the
continued moderation of Indian Muslims. It is also helpful
for the Congress Party's Muslim vote bank calculations. The
party has served as the political patron of Deoband and JUH
since before independence. A takeover by Mahmood would have
shifted JUH's allegiance to his patrons in the Samajwadi
Party. On March 24 Mahmood resigned as General Secretary but
rest assured, we have not seen the last of Maulana Mahmood
Madani. End Summary.

Power Play for Control
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2. (U) At a March 6 meeting, Mahmood Madani, General
Secretary of Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind (JUH),the political wing of

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the influential conservative Darul Uloom Deoband madrassa,
made a power play for control of the organization by
dismissing its President, Arshad Madani. Terming the move
unconstitutional, Arshad walked out of the meeting with his
supporters and refused to accept the decision. Mahmood named
Quari Mohammad Usman, Deputy Director of Deoband, as
caretaker president. A meeting of 5,000 JUH delegates was
then called for March 24 to approve the dismissal.

Lacking Numbers, Mahmood Backs Down
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3. (U) As March 24 approached, both camps traded insults in
the press with neither side willing to retreat. Fearing a
split in one of the leading Indian Islamic organizations,
several Muslim leaders including Maulana Marghoobur Rehman,
Chief Rector of Darul Uloom Deoband, called for a compromise
solution. Finally on March 24, Mahmood backed down,
cancelling the delegate meeting and resigning as General
Secretary. Quari Mohammad Usman resigned as well.

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Reportedly, Mahmood did not have the numerical support to
force the change. The two men left that day for Umra in
Saudi Arabia, and neither has commented publicly.

Short Background on JUH and the Madani Family
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4. (C) Founded in 1919, JUH is a political movement that
participated in the freedom struggle and opposed Partition.
The organization (as well as Deoband) has always supported
the Congress Party and has historical ties to the
Nehru-Gandhi family. When longtime JUH President Asad Madani
died in 2007, a power struggle ensued. Asad's brother Arshad
became President, while Asad's son Mahmood became General
Secretary. Arshad, as part of the older generation, has

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remained loyal to the Congress Party, while Mahmood has
looked elsewhere for support and financial backing,
particularly to Samajwadi Party (SP) leaders Mulayam Singh
Yadav and Amar Singh and their less than transparent
fundraising. Mahmood currently serves as a member of the
Rajya Sabha from the SP ally Rashtriya Lok Dal party from
Uttar Pradesh and has towed a very aggressive anti-Congress
and anti-US line. In 2005 he organized street demonstrations
during President Bush's visit to India. Difference of
opinion on political patronage however, primarily drove the
split with his uncle and led to the March 6 confrontation.

Comment: What Does This All Mean?
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5. (C) Comment: Arshad's triumph can be taken as a positive
sign for US interests as they relate to the continued
moderation of Indian Muslims. Embassy contacts report that
during the February 25 anti-terrorism conference at Deoband
(reftel),Arshad and other old guard leaders such as Chief
Rector Rehman (who hosted Poloffs during a November 2007
visit) focused on the anti-terrorism message. Mahmood and
his supporters did the US bashing. While Mahmood is the
young nephew fighting the old uncle, this dispute is not a
simple generational split. All of Poloff's younger Deobandi
contacts have sided with the older Arshad (and therefore the
Congress Party). Politically, the Congress Party will
welcome Arshad's success as well, keeping this leading Muslim
organization under its decades-old relatively moderate
patronage as national polls approach. With the party
struggling (particularly in Uttar Pradesh) and looking at a
possible tie-up with the SP, the conflict may die down if
Mahmoood's SP paymasters urge him to pull back while they
slow dance with the Congress. The SP, however, would love to
have its man as President of a unified JUH. We have not seen
the last of Maulana Mahmood Madani. End Comment.
MULFORD