Muslim board asks imams to put pressure on UP govt, Centre

The board has also decided to organise programmes from December 1 to 6 to coincide with the anniversary of the demolition of Babri Masjid, board member and convenor of the Babri Masjid Action Committee Zafaryab Jeelani said. Several Muslim representatives will submit memoranda to the district authorities and hold meetings on December 6 to highlight the concerns of the community and its demand for maintaining status quo, he said.

Jeelani also urged the Centre to initiate stern action against the VHP and Sangh Parivar for threatening to build Ram temple at the disputed site. “Any attempt to construct a temple in the place of Babri Masjid will violate the 1994 Supreme Court directive to maintain status quo. It is the responsibility of both the Centre and the Uttar Pradesh government to curb any attempt to violate this court verdict,” he noted.

The board also examined the progress made by the Liberhan Commission in the cases pertaining to the demolition of the masjid and has also set up a four-member committee to monitor the review of the Constitution.

On the members’ failure to arrive at a consensus on Nikahnama (marriage contract), Jeelani said: “The members felt that the conditional Nikahnama prepared by a four-member committee did not fully achieve the objective of the marriage contract. It was therefore decided to return the Nikahnama to the committee to introduce necessary changes and safeguards and present it for further debate. It would take about four months for the committee to formulate its views on the conditional Nikahnama.

Regarding the oft-repeated complaints that exploitation of women was more in the Muslim community, board general secretary Nizamuddin asserted that the issue was not related to religion but education. “Our Shariat protects the rights of women,” he noted.