A congregation of Muslim clerics and community members here has described the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017 as the Centre's "interference" in Sharia law and demanded its immediate withdrawal.
The "Deen Bachao, Desh Bachao" conference was organised by the Imarat Shariah at Phulwari Sharif, Patna under the banner of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) at the Gandhi Maidan here yesterday.
Muslim clerics, intellectuals and community members from different walks of life from Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand attended the event, where 10 resolutions were passed on varied subjects.
The gathering expressed concern over some recent decisions of the Centre, which they alleged were targeted against the Islamic culture and education system.
Anisur Rahman Quasmi, the Nazim of Imarat Shariah, Phulwari Sharif and other Nayab Nazim read out the resolutions, which were endorsed by the congregation.
Imarat Shariah - Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha - Amir-e-Shariyat Mohammad Wali Rahmani presided over the function. Member of AIMPLB - Kolkata chapter Maulana Abu Taalib Rahmani was also present.
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Others present on the occasion included Islamic scholar and former MP Obaidullah Khan Azmi and AIMPLB Secretary Mohammad Umrain Mahfooz Rahmani.
Some politicians, including Abdul Bari Siddiqui of the RJD, Congress MP from Kisanganj Asararul Haque and Ejhar Ahmad of the JD(U) were also present, but were not accommodated on the main dias. They were seen sitting on the rear-side of the platform.
The conference alleged that the introduction of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017 had "opened the door for government interference in Shariat".
The conference demanded an immediate withdrawal of the bill.
The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017, which was passed by the Lok Sabha in Decemeber, 2017 but was pending in the Rajya Sabha, makes all declarations of talaq, including in written and electronic form, void and illegal.
The gathering raked up the incidents of rape in Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir and Unnao in Uttar Pradesh and demanded the government to hand out a stern punishment to the guilty.
The congregation touched upon several other issues, including the allleged dilution of the SC/ST Act and four senior Supreme Court judges coming out in the public against the alleged attempt to "destroy" the constitutional institutions.
It also expressed concern over the alleged attempts to link Madarsas with terrorism.
The conference expressed grave concern over the recent outbreak of riots in different parts of the country to allegedly target Muslims and the weaker sections of the society and demanded the state governments to enact anti-riot legislations.
It demanded steps for promoting Urdu and sought naming of signboards of shops also in that language.
It also expressed concern over the situation in Syria, Myanmar and Philippines.