Author: Special Correspondent
Publication: The Telegraph
Date: March 3, 2008
URL: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080303/jsp/bengal/story_8974078.jsp
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board has
attacked the Centre for "toeing the US line" on Iraq and Iran and
improving ties with Israel.
The board usually confines itself to religious
and legal issues. But sources said the approaching elections could have prompted
it to comment on political matters.
The pronouncements came at the end of a three-day
meeting in Calcutta - the first such conclave in Bengal since 1985.
The resolutions adopted at a rally on the
Park Circus Maidan accused the Congress-led government of following "US
dictates blindly" and failing to follow the country's non-aligned policy.
The board blamed the current policy for the
persecution of youths in the community. "The increasing harassment and
intimidation of Muslim youths accused of terror links (is) in tune with the
US-led global anti-Muslim witch-hunt".
Board leaders said "those now called
global terrorists had been created by the US and its allies".
The board condemned terror attacks "on
innocent people", saying "crimes against humanity go against the
teachings of the Quran". The Darul Uloom had recently dubbed terrorism
un-Islamic.
"We condemn such acts whether carried
out by individuals or the state. When a community does not get justice, it
becomes alienated. The government should define terrorists and look into the
factors that produce them and ensure justice," the board's resolution
said.
Political overtones emerged as speakers at
the rally accused the government of creating a "fear psychosis among
Muslims by calling madarsas cradles of terrorism and every Muslim a terror
suspect".
Leaders known to be close to the Congress,
like the Jamait Ulema-i-Hind's Maulana Arsad Madani, criticised the party
for "not fulfilling its pre-Partition promises to the community".
He warned against the "growing danger
of divisive forces" - an allusion to the BJP - and stressed the need
for "unity of all democratic forces".
The board passed a resolution opposing the
Centre and the state moves to make marriage registration compulsory for all
communities.
"We are not opposed to registration per
se. But the board is opposed to making it compulsory since rural areas do
not have enough social infrastructure. This will only add to the troubles
of the common people," said Sultan Ahmed, a Trinamul Congress MLA who
has been recently inducted into the board.
Ahmed said the board would oppose a state
government bill amending Muslim marriage and divorce laws.
Some speakers called for the ouster of Taslima
Nasreen from India but a board member said later: "Individually, most
of us want it. But the Taslima issue is not in the jurisdiction of the board.''
