Tehreek Muslim Shaban organised Jaan Se Badhkar Hamari Shariyat, a rally in Bidar on Sunday, to protest against the Union government’s move to amend Sharia and Muslim Personal Law.
Members opposed the move on the grounds that any change should come from inside the community and not be forced upon by the government. Some speakers said Sharia was not a man made law to be amended. Some others even felt this was a sign of an oppressive majority regime harassing minorities in the name of legislative reform.
Nasir Ustad, JD-S leader from Kalaburgi, presented a detailed case against amendments to the Sharia law. He said the provisions relating to divorce among Muslims were easier as the procedures for marriage and remarriage were easier.
He said it was a misconception that Sharia laws did not guarantee gender justice. Divorce and polygamy rates are the lowest among Muslims in India according to a Central government survey of 2011, he said. This proves that Sharia has ensured gender justice.
He said Prophet Mohammad gave equal property rights to daughters and wives and daughters-in-law 1,400 years ago. There is no evidence of any other religion doing so, Mr. Ustad said. “Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, who was among the leaders responsible for introduction of directive principles of state policy in the Constitution, was never in favour of imposing a uniform civil code,” he said.
He said the NDA government was not making any just and fair attempts at drafting a uniform civil code for all communities. It is using this only as an excuse to hurt minority sentiments. “But then, minorities in India will go according to Dr. Ambedkar's Constitution and not as per the whims and fancies of communal leaders,” he said. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had no moral right to talk about the alleged injustices suffered by women from minority communities, as ‘a man who deserts his wife and remains unapologetic about it should not talk about protection to women and gender justice.’ Look inside your home first and introspect. Take your wife on foreign tours like other leaders such as Barak Obama do. Then you will understand the plight of women, Mr. Ustad said.
B. Narayan Rao, Backward Classes leader, said that Sharia was not a man made law that could be changed at will. “It is a law mandated by God and therefore can not be charged,” he said.
Communal forces among caste Hindu are committing untold atrocities among Dalits and backward classes. But the Union government is worried about amending the Muslim Personal Law rather than stopping these atrocities,” Mr. Rao said.
Communal forces tolerate marriages between rich elite Hindus and Muslims if it benefits them, but scoff at Hindu and Muslim boys and girls developing innocent friendship. This hypocrisy should be exposed. Caste Hindus are targeting the minorities now. They will target the Dalits and backward classes tomorrow. We should all remain united in such trying times, Mr. Rao said.
A government that can temper with the Sharia today can destroy the Constitution tomorrow. All deprived communities should fight against such attempts, he added.
Mustaq Mallik, Tehreek president said any attempt to change Sharia laws could lead to internal disturbances. Sharia is like a burning flame. If the Sangh Parivar tries to change it, it will burn it its hands, he said. He chided that the Sharia was not the dress code of the RSS to be changed at will.
Ankush Gokhale , BSP district president, Dalit activist M.S. Shiromani, Moulana Fahimuddin of Jamaat-E-Islami Hind and others were present.
