The All-India Muslim personal law board (AIMPLB) will soon be holding rallies across the country to protest against the “anti-Muslim” attitude of the Centre.
The board is upset at the UPA government’s refusal to consider the amendments suggested by it in the draft bills on Waqf properties, communal violence and also the Right to Education Act.
According to a board member, a decision to this effect has been taken by the working committee of the AIMPLB that was chaired by the Board president Maulana Rabey Hasan Nadvi.
The board member said that rallies would begin from western UP from July and would be held in all major cities across the country. Muslim clerics and community leaders would address these rallies and inform the people about the reluctance of the UPA government to protect the rights and welfare of Muslims in the country.
AIMPLB member Zafaryab Jilani said that the AIMPLB had certain reservations in the draft bill on communal violence which ignored the role of provocative speeches, articles and rumours that often triggered communal violence.
“The bill is silent on identifying and punishing those responsible for making hate speeches, writing hate articles and fuelling rumours. Unless this provision is included, the communal violence bill will not serve any purpose,” he explained.
About the Waqf bill, Mr Jilani said that its provision were incomplete.
“Besides, the proposed Waqf Development Agency would have an adverse impact on the Waqf properties and the income would have to be shared, which would further hamper the interests of the Muslim community,” he said.
The AIMPLB also apprehends that the Direct Tax Code Bill would terminate the concessions given to religious and charitable societies and Anjumans.
The AIMPLB has sent suggestions for amendments in these bills and also in the right to education Act to the UPA government but no action has been taken on it.