Led by Tahreek Muslim Shabban president Mohammed Mushtaq Mallik, several prominent religious organisations including Jamaat-e-Islami, Jamiatul-Ulema Hind, Jamiatul Mashaiqeen among others, held a series of meetings across Telangana and parts of Karnataka in protest against proposed Uniform Civil Code.
With the slogan, “Jaan Say Badhkar Hamari Shariyat” (Shariyat is more precious than our lives), the Muslim religious organisations on Sunday held meetings in Sangareddy (Telangana), Humnabad and Bidar (Karnataka). A grand public meeting was held at Mahmood Gava Chowk in Bidar town on Sunday night which witnessed the participation of over 10,000 Muslims.
“Any attempt to change Personal Laws might lead to Civil War in the country. BJP Government and Sangh Parivar are trying to incite communal feelings in the name of Uniform Civil Code. There is no provocation, whatsoever, for the Central Government to suggest changes in the Shariah Law. Nearly 25 crore Muslims in the country will not let that happen. The Constitution of India has guaranteed Freedom of Religion to each and every citizen and the government has no business to interfere in our religious affairs,” said Mushtaq Mallik while addressing the massive public meeting at Bidar. He condemned the Law Commission for trying to elicit opinion on Uniform Civil Code through a questionnaire in a country where most of the people, especially Muslims, are illiterate. He said it was ridiculous on the part of Law Commission and Central Government to expect common people to express their views on Article 44 of the Constitution.
Mushtaq Mallik said that the Uniform Civil Code would affect all the communities. However, he feared that the BJP-led NDA Government might impose the UCC by taking advantage of its strength in the Lok Sabha. Stating that such a move might prove suicidal for the BJP, he warned of stern agitation if the government tries to change Shariah Law. Quoting statistics from the Census 2011 and other surveys, he said that the divorce rate and practice of polygamy were quite less among Muslims compared to other communities in India. However, he said that a section of media was carrying out misleading propaganda to support the UCC. He said that the ongoing campaign for UCC and controversy surrounding Triple Talaq were aimed at diverting people’s attention from the failures of BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre. He also hailed the decision of All India Muslim Personal Law Board to boycott the Law Commission’s questionnaire.
The TMS President informed that Muslim organisations would organise a series of protest meetings. He said an interactive session with Muslims MPs, legislators and other elected representatives from across the country will be held in Hyderabad on October 22. Public meetings and interactive sessions will be held across Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra and finally, a massive public meeting “All India Tahafuz-e-Shariyat Conference” will be held at Exhibition Grounds on November 13. He informed that representatives of all major political parties, religious organisations, eminent clerics and intellectuals would participate in these meetings. (NSS)