By Najiya O., TwoCircles.net,
Kochi: The government should bring a new law criminalising homosexuality in the wake of the Delhi High Court order, demanded the All India Muslim Personal Law Board. The AIMPLB has decided to meet the Prime Minister on the matter. The Board has also decided to organise a nationwide campaign in cooperation with leaders of all communities, said Maulana Muhammed Abdur Raheem Quraishi, assistant general secretary of the AIMPLB, in a press conference in Kozhikode.
Mr. Quraishi was giving the details of the 80th executive committee meeting of the AIMPLB held in Kozhikode yesterday. Syed Muhammed Rabi’ Hasani Nadwi, the president of the Personal Law Board, presided over the meeting held in the Malabar Gate.
The High Court order decriminalising homosexuality is deplorable. It is against religious values as well as morality. The AIMPLB has decided to set up a common platform where leaders of all communities will line up against the order. The Board will decide on future plans, including questioning the Delhi HC order in the Supreme Court, in the convention to be held in Delhi next month.
The AIMPLB also demanded the immediate tabling of the Liberhan Commission report in the Parliament. It is the responsibility of the government to reveal the facts mentioned in the report.
Muslims are not recruited for several government services and defence forces including the Air Force. The Board has decided to meet the Prime Minister demanding an end to this discrimination. The exclusion of Muslims in certain important services in the name of beard is not applied to the Sikh community and others, Mr Quraishi pointed. He added that the Personal Law Board will not allow government interference in madrasas by constituting special boards.
The reports of various sub-committees appointed by the Board were also submitted in the meeting.
More than 100 leaders, including the community leaders in Kerala, participated in the meeting. The representatives of almost all important organisations were present.
The next executive committee meeting of the Personal Law Board will be held in Lucknow, though the date is not yet fixed. The possibility of holding the programme in Kerala too was discussed in the meeting but the final choice went in favour of Lucknow.
A public function was organised in Kozhikode at 7 pm in which leaders of the Board took part.