The All India Ulama and Mashaikh Board on Sunday asked the government to alleviate the “sense of fear” Indian Muslims have been feeling in the wake of riots and communal incidents. They also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fix “historical blunders” that extremist ideologies have committed in the country. In a 25-point charter released after the four-day World Sufi Forum ended, the AIUMB asked the government to spell out the steps taken after recent communal incidents, reported The Indian Express.

AIUMB president Syed Muhammad Ashraf said: “We are hopeful that the government will pay heed to our requests and keep in mind the interests of Indian Muslims…" He said that there have been concerted efforts to weaken Sufism in India and replace it with an extremist and radical ideology over the past few decades, which is a dangerous trend.

The charter called for establishing a central Sufi centre in all capital cities in the country, starting with Delhi. It also asked the government to set up a Khwaja Garib Nawaz University, create “Sufi Corridors”, review the Waqf Amendment Bill and set up a national corporation for the development of Waqf properties.

On Thursday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Forum and praised Sufism as “a celebration of diversity and pluralism” that “helped shape a distinct Islamic heritage of India”. He said the "fight against terrorism is not a confrontation against any religion” and any link between the two should be rejected. The Muslim leaders too sought to delink Islam from terror, saying groups like the Islamic State did not represent "true Muslims".