The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) today stood by Islamic seminary Darul Uloom Deoband’s edict that the woman who was allegedly raped by her father-in-law in Muzaffarnagar cannot live with her husband. The victim, too, has agreed to abide by the ruling. “My husband and I are willing to abide by the fatwa if the Darul Uloom Muftis want us to,” Imrana said in Muzaffarnagar. Meanwhile, approving Deoband’s decision, the Board’s lone woman member, Begum Naseem Iqtedar Ali Khan said in Lucknow: “As per the Quran, Imrana’s conjugal relationship with her husband stands dissolved, since she has been raped by the latter’s blood relative”. “Had she been raped by anyone other than a blood relative, she could have stayed with her husband as in the Bilkis case of Gujarat..but here, a sacred relationship has been violated, the consequences of which have to be borne by Imrana and her husband Noor Ilahi,” Begum said. She pointed out that the responsibility of the couple’s five children would have to be shouldered by Ilahi as long as required. On whether the punishment was too harsh, she said, “As believers of Islam, we have to follow what has been prescribed by the religion and even the victim and her husband have professed to abide by Shariat”. The board, however, strongly condemns the act and wants strict punishment for accused Ali Mohammad, she said. Brinda attacks Deoband decision New Delhi: Coming down heavily on Deoband’s decision on Imrana, CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat on Monday said it’s a “shocking example of how thekedars of religion can bulldoze the constitutional rights of a citizen.’’ Regretting that violation of women’s rights never figured in the agenda of political parties, Brinda said ‘‘This only shows how sectarian is our understanding of issues affecting a community.’’ —ENS
