Andalib Akhter / New Delhi
AT a time when members of ruling party are debating Nikah and Triple Talaq , the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), the apex body on Indian Muslims on Sunday put the BJP-led NDA government in the dock on the issue of section 377, demanding it to clear its stand.
It said that government is maintaining deliberate distance over the sensitive issue (Unnatural act) which is prohibited in all religions.
AIMPLB asked the government to take a firm stance in the Supreme Court against homosexuality. Accusing government of being reluctant on the issue Board said that it was a sin in all religions and should be declared a crime.
The working committee of AIMPLB which met here Sunday said that “a neutral stance by the government is against religions, traditions and ethics of this country”.
“All religions consider gay marriages a sin. It is against family fabric and hazard for society”. Board appealed the government to oppose the petition on descriminalisation in court.
The Centre on July 11 told the Supreme Court that it would leave it to the wisdom of its judges to decide on the constitutional validity of Section 377 on the issue of criminalising unnatural intercourse between two consenting adults.
A five-judge constitution bench, headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, was told by Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta that the Centre has no objection with the court dealing with the validity of this penal provision.
The bench is hearing a batch of petitions challenging its 2013 verdict that had re-criminalised consensual sex between two consenting adults of the same gender.
The bench, also comprising Justices RF Nariman, AM Khanwilkar, DY Chandrachud and Indu Malhotra, said it made it clear yesterday that only the constitutional validity of Section 377 will be dealt with by it.The apex court had commenced the hearing yesterday.
The working committee of AIMPLB also asserted that ‘Darul Qazas’ were not parallel court system. These counseling centers help to take the burden off courts where hundreds of thousands of cases are still pending.
It also clarified that no proposal was made to set up Shariat courts in all districts across the country.
“We have never talked about setting up Shariat courts in all districts across the country. Our motive is to set them up in places where it is required and where people want them,” Zafaryab Jilani, member of the AIMPLB, said after the meet.
He said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) were politicising the matter.
“Shariah Board is not a court. BJP-RSS is doing politics in the name of Shariat courts,” he said.
AIMPLB observed that many of the problems arising in the society and confusions among the people were because of lack of knowledge of Deen and shariah.
“Muslim personal law is a divine, just and beneficial for all. Counter misconceptions, the Tafheem e Shariat committee well organised programs at a large scale and include intellectuals, advocates in seminars of special lectures across India”, it Underlined.
It said that Social Reform committee will organise programs on a large scale and women will be included in the programs. The marital disputes related to their families , the reasons and causes will be addressed by premarital and post marital counselling sessions.
“No matter how much fake news promoters try to demonize AIMPLB, it will stand high. The board never backed the arranged Nikah Halala. It never said that such nikah is part of Islam. Please ignore the fake media outlets,”stressed the Board
