We, the undersigned, call on the Indian Government, the Uttar Pradesh Government and Allahabad High Court to immediately release Gandhian peace activist Faisal Khan, National Convenor of Khudai Kidmatgar.

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WHO IS FAISAL KHAN?
Faisal Khan is a Gandhian activist. He is the National Convener of Khudai Kidmatgar (Servants of God) India. Khudai Kidmatgar is an organization and movement started by nonviolent peace activist and freedom fighter Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, also known as Badshah Khan and Frontier Gandhi. Faisal revived this movement for peace and interfaith harmony in 2011. He has been associated with the National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM) for the past 15 years, working for communal harmony and people's empowerment. He is an executive committee member of Socialist Party (India). He has helped establish Sabka Ghar (The People's House) in Delhi and Kanyakumari, dedicated to all those killed in the name of Religion, Caste, Gender, Race and Boundaries. Faisal is also a member of the Advisory Board of Hindus for Human Rights.

WHY WAS FAISAL ARRESTED?
Faisal Khan and three other members of Khudai Kidmatgar conducted a 5-day yatra (journey) in Brij, a part of Uttar Pradesh which is a place of pilgrimage for Krishna devotees. They visited many houses of worship, and the purpose of the yatra was to spread the Gandhian message of sarva dharma sambhav (the possibility of communal harmony and religious tolerance). On the final day of the yatra, Oct 30, the Khudai Kidmatgar group visited the Nand Baba Temple, a prominent temple in the region. There are photos and videos showing a wonderful day spent together with the priest and others, exchanging and discussing scripture, and enjoying each others company. The priest even served Faisal prasad (food blessed by God).

When it was time for the midday namaz (Muslim prayer), Faisal was going to pray outside, but the priest invited him to pray right there in the temple. Faisal and one of his associates, Chand Mohammed, prayed in the temple compound. Photos were taken throughout the 5-day yatra, and sent to Khudai Kidmatgar supporters. It was very natural for the group to share photos of this moment of interfaith harmony, with two Muslim men praying in a Hindu temple at the invitation of the priest.

Unfortunately four days later, Faisal Khan was arrested in Delhi and jailed in Mathura, UP. The same priest that had invited Faisal to pray had filed the FIR (police complaint). The charges against Faisal are two-fold: 1) conducting Muslim prayers in a Hindu temple withut permission and with intent to create community disharmony; and 2) creating Khudai Kidmatgar as a pretext for raising funds from foreign sources for nefarious activities.

When Faisal Khan was arrested, he was found to be Covid positive, and spent two weeks in a hospital in police custody. His pro-bono lawyers applied for bail twice, and bail was rejected both times. His lawyers will now be take the case to the Allahabad High Court.

While Faisal has been in prison, the police have been looking for his three associates, particularly Chand Mohammed. Police from Mathura traveled to Bihar where Chand's family lives. His parents and brother were beaten up badly. His brother was arrested and brought to Mathura where he was illegally detained without any charges against him. Luckily he was released thanks to the intervention of lawyer friends. Chand's family is terrified.

Faisal Khan devotes his life to building and promoting interfaith peace and harmony and spreading the message of love. He is carrying on the legacy of great leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan. To accuse such a man of creating communal disharmony is meaningless and absurd. He prayed in the temple only at the invitation of the priest.

Khudai Kidmatgar was incorporated legally as a Trust in 2011, and all their legal papers are in tact. Khudai Kidmatgar does not have FCRA (Foreign Contribution Regulation Act 1976) status required for accepting funding from foreign sources. Therefore not a penny has been received by Khudai Kidmatgar from any foreign source.

Faisal Khan's message of love, peace and unity is what our world needs more than anything else. We stand with Faisal Khan and call for his immediate release