Malegaon: Terming uniform civil code unrealistic and impractical in India, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), an apex body of the India Muslims, has decided to start a campaign against any move to impose the controversial law in the country.
"We firmly believe that uniform civil code is impractical for India – a country so diverse in nature and having so many religions, castes and people owing allegiance to too many faiths. Any move to impose uniform civil code in India will be suicidal. It is actually deadly not only for Muslims but also for the people of other religions and faiths", AIMPLB Asst. Gen Secretary and spokesperson Abdur Raheem Qureshi said while talking to ummid.com on the sidelines of its national convention held in Jalgaon Sunday.
He said the board is in touch with like-minded Hindus and people from other faith and religions in order to garner their support for the campaign the board intends to start to create awareness about the dangers of the common civil code.
"The problem is that people think only Muslims are opposed to the uniform civil code. The fact is that it is equally disadvantageous for other minorities, and also for a good number of Hindu castes", he added.
The board decision is significant as it comes at the time when chairman of the Press Council of India Justice Markandey Katju claimed that one of the reasons for the backwardness of Muslims was that there was no modernization of their personal law.
"The issue of a uniform civil code has recently been raised. I am fully in support of a uniform civil code," Katju, a former Supreme Court judge, said in a recent article.
"The Constitution was made in 1950, and 64 years had passed since it was promulgated, but Article 44 had been totally ignored, "obviously for vote-bank politics", he said, adding that this had contributed to making Muslims backward.
There are however others who believe that the board should refrain from involving itself into such activities, and instead should concentrate on socio-economic and educational empowerment of the community, especially the women.
"The BJP has said in its manifesto that it will bring in the uniform civil code in the country. Now, when it has come into the power, it should explain what will be the basis of this uniform civil code?" Aleem Faizee, convenor of Citizens for Development & Peace (CDP), said.
He said that the board should utilize its energy and resources for other purposes as the government can never have a consensus on a uniform civil code.
"There are a good number of people in the country who will never agree on the common civil code. Let them come out in open and register their opposition. Why the Muslim panel is taking a lead and unnecessarily giving a Hindu-Muslim twist to a national issue", he added.
He said the Muslim community leaders will repeat the same mistake they did during the 2014 election when they played into the hands of the so called secular parties and converted the entire election into a "Muslim vs Modi" war.
"The Muslims should remain vigilant and alert, there is no doubt on this. But they should now realise the fact that any campaign – whether it is against communal forces or uniform civil code or other such issues, it should be spearheaded by secular Hindus. The Muslims should support it. When Muslims try to lead such movements it is counter productive as we saw in the recent election", Aleem Faizee said.
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