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The All-India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) on Monday sought a new law against blasphemy and registered strong protest against the Uniform Civil Code (UCC). In a resolution passed during its 27th General Body meet, AIMPLB asserted that the UCC was not useful for a multi-faith country like India.
Contending that it was antithetical to the right to practice religion as enshrined in the Constitution, it warned the Centre against any attempt to impose the UCC directly or indirectly.
AIMPLB working committee member SQR Ilyas slammed the UCC saying India is a multi-cultural, multi-religious, multilingual society and hence, one law pertaining to marriage, divorce and inheritance will not suffice.
“Different communities should be allowed to govern their affairs as per their own customs,” he asserted. He went on to add that no one should be allowed to speak ill of any religion or religious figure.
Seeking new legislation against blasphemy, the AIMPLB member said, “There have been instances of snide remarks made against Prophet Muhammad which hurt the sentiments of the Muslim community. This needs to be curbed by bringing in a law against blasphemy."
In a significant development on November 19, the Allahabad HC stressed that the Uniform Civil Code is mandatorily required. The single-judge bench of Justice Suneet Kumar was hearing a batch of 17 petitions pertaining to protection sought by interfaith couples. In all these pleas, one of the parties to the marriage converted to the religion of his/her partner and thus, they apprehended a threat to their life, liberty and wellbeing.
Allowing the pleas, Justice Kumar observed that UCC cannot be made "purely voluntary" owing to fear expressed by members of the minority community. Referring to a Supreme Court verdict, he asked the Centre to constitute a committee for implementing Article 44 of the Constitution. A part of the Directive Principles of State Policy in the Constitution, Article 44 reads, "The State shall endeavour to secure for the citizens a uniform civil code throughout the territory of India".
Shifting focus to the growing chorus demanding revocation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Ilyas said, "There has been no specific discussion on CAA but organisations like Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind and Jamaat-e-Islami have already demanded withdrawal of CAA." He said the board also believes that CAA should be withdrawn. Asked about the arrests made with regard to forced conversions, Maulana Saifullah Rahmani said it was forbidden in Islam. "But the Constitution allows people to propagate the good side of religion and its teachings," he said.