The All India Muslim Personal Law Board has asked the Centre and the UP government to clarify their stand on ‘mosques being targeted across the country’ and expressed disappointment over ‘silence of secular parties’. It demanded that the Centre make its official position of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, that declares that the religious character of a place of worship “shall continue to be the same as it existed” on August 15, 1947.
AIMPLB was one of the litigants in the Babri Masjid dispute and provided legal aid to the Intezamiya Masjid Committee and its lawyers in the Gyanvapi masjid case. It said it was ready to launch a nationwide agitation, if necessary, to apprise the public about the ‘real intention’ of creating disputes over the places of worship. The board has also constituted a legal committee of experts to examine the 1991 Act and Ayodhya verdict. It has asked people administering mosques to talk about the significance of the Gyanvapi mosque during Friday discourse in the next three weeks. It also said the community would respond scientifically and legally to “fake claims and hate propaganda”.
After an emergency virtual meeting of the board on Tuesday night, AIMPLB executive member Qasim Rasool Ilyas said, “it was regretted during the meeting that the places of worship of Muslims in the country are being targeted and the religious places Act of 1991 is being openly flouted. It is a matter of great regret that the central government and the state governments are silent.”
“Political parties who call themselves secular parties are also silent. They are not coming to the fore against false propaganda the way they should. Their position needs to be clarified. We hope that they will clarify their position and also stand for the protection of the Constitution and secular character of the country, a clear and loud voice shall be raised by them,” the board’s statement said. For the record, Congress, SP, BSP and several other parties have reacted to the Gyanvapi row.
The overarching sentiment among most members was to ‘not repeat mistakes’ made during the Babri Masjid dispute.
Source: The Economic Times
