New Delhi: Zafar Sareshwala, a close aide of PM Modi and the chancellor of Maulana Azad Urdu University on Thursday criticised the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) for calling the UCC “divisive” adding that the code has several pitfalls that the Hindus need to look out for.
“One-third of Muslims live as minorities in non-Muslim countries around the world,” he told Mumbai Mirror.
“So UCC is not going to be a problem for us. It is going to be a problem for Hindus. This was pointed out by none other than RSS ideologue Guruji Golwalkar in an interview to Organiser editor KR Malkani in the magazine’s September 1972 issue. He opposed UCC saying it was not suited to a country like India with diverse communities,” he stated.
Sareshwala argued the ‘preposterous’ concept of UCC in a country with culturally diverse population like India and pointed out that such code was going to pinch the Hindus more than the Muslims.
“Questions like tax benefits, who would be considered karta under HUF will trouble them. Amendments in inheritance laws could hurt the Hindus more,” he said.
Muslims only have two contentious issues with regard to the civil law, i.e polygamy and triple talaq.
“As per Islamic jurisprudence, triple talaq in one sitting is unacceptable. In fact, there is no provision for triple talaq in the Holy Quran. Polygamy is also not so widely practised as is perceived,” he said.
He also expressed his disappointment over Muslim women proceeding towards Supreme Court for triple talaq issue.
“It could have been easily settled within the community. Why did the women have to go to court? It is quite clear they did not trust Muslim clerics,” he said.