By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net,
New Delhi: The Muslim community may be a little disappointed if they had expected strong statement and action plan on burning issues from the most respected and most representative body of the 150 million-strong community in India – All India Muslim Personal Law Board. As it has become a habit of Muslim organizations, leaders of AIMPLB gathered in Lucknow on December 20, discussed issues, passed resolutions and dispersed. This is the impression one could get from the press statement released at the end of the daylong Executive Committee meeting of the Board.
The Board has expressed its views on the findings of the Liberhan Commission, Communal Violence Bill and proposed Central Madrasa Board but not announced – most probably because they did not discuss – their future course of actions regarding implementation of the Liberhan report and other issues.
The AIMPLB had met in the backdrop of the Liberhan Commission report, and so it was expected they would announce action plan as to how they are going to press the Central Government to prosecute the criminals identified in the report for the demolition of Babri Masjid on December 6, 1992. But the two-page press statement – interestingly more than one page devoted to Liberhan report/Babri Masjid – hasn’t even a single word indicating their action plan on the issue.
“The Executive Committee of AIMPLB considered the Liberhan Commission report and felt that its findings regarding the conspiracy to demolish the historic Babri Masjid and holding RSS, VHP, BJP, Bajrang Dal and Shiv Sena responsible for commission of this heinous crime are factually correct and sound,” the Executive Committee of the Board said in the statement.
Commenting on the Congress-led UPA Government’s Action Taken Report on the Liberhan report, the Board demanded the government to expedite criminal cases pending in Rae Bareilly and Lucknow special courts regarding Babri Masjid. “The Muslim Personal Law Board feels that simple promise by the Government of India to expedite criminal cases pending in Rae Bareilly and Lucknow special courts is not enough. Hence All India Muslim Personal Law Board demands the Government of India to instruct the CBI to include the charge of criminal conspiracy in these cases. The charge was there in the combined charge sheet filed by CBI which was deleted at the time of bifurcation of the same into two charge sheets. The CBI should be instructed to produce before the special courts all material which it had collected on this aspect.” The Government should pass orders for day to day trial at Rae Bareilly court and for setting aside a stay order for starting hearing in the Lucknow court, the Board demanded.
The Board also demanded that out of 68 persons found responsible for the offence of the demolition by the commission, FIR on the basis of material collected by the commission should be filed against those who have not been made accused in pending cases and its investigation be expeditiously initiated by the CBI.
The Executive Committee of the Board also demanded a declaration by the central government in Parliament regarding implementation of the final verdict in the case.
“The All India Muslim Personal Law Board also demands the Govt. of India to declare in the Parliament that the Govt. will respect the final judicial verdict in the title suit of Babri Masjid and fulfill its responsibility and provide all facilities for implementing the verdict.”
On inclusion of some Muslim organizations in the Liberhan report, the Board said: “The meeting had noted with dismay that the commission made certain observations against some committees of Muslims for no reason or rhyme.”
The Board has rejected the present form of the Communal Violence Bill saying it will give more power to executive and police who are already biased against Muslims.
“In its ATR Govt. of India has promised to legislate the Prevention of Communal Violence Bill. The AIMPLB feels that the bill will not fulfill the purpose. It will provide wider opportunity to perpetrate atrocities on Muslims and weaker sections to the executive and the police which usually becomes rioters or spectator when communal violence erupts,” the Board said.
The Board has opposed the proposed Central Madrasa Board urging the government to let madrasas manage themselves.
“AIMPLB has reiterated its policy of opposition to the formation o Central Madrasa Board to relinquish this proposal and let the Muslim community run, manage and organize their institutions for religious education.”
The meeting held at Nadwatul Ulema seminary was presided over by AIMPLB president Maulana Rabey Hasani Nadwi and attended by following leaders: Maulana Salim Qasmi, Maulana Syed Nizamuddin, Abdur Raheem Quraishi, Maulana Wali Rahmani, Yosuf Hathim Muchalla, Syed Shahabuddin, SQR Ilyas, Maulana Saifullah Rahmani, Maulana Abdullah Mughesi, Zafaryab Jeelani, Abdul Wahab Khilji and others.