Uniform Civil Code: Firmly opposing the idea, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board has said a uniform or secular civil code would be unacceptable to Muslims who would never agree to any compromise on Sharia law. The comment came in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s August 15 call for a uniform civil code, when he termed all the existing personal laws as communal and discriminatory.
AIMPLB Condemns Prime Minister’s Remarks on Religious Laws
The AIMPLB, in a press release, has strongly condemned the remarks of the Prime Minister and, especially, his describing religious personal laws as communal in nature. It also brought out that under the Shariat Application Act of 1937 and the Indian Constitution, Muslims have the right to practice their religion and be ruled by the laws prescribed by Shariat.
In a press release, the AIMPLB, stated, “The All India Muslim Personal Law Board considers the Prime Minister’s call, on the occasion of Independence Day, for a Secular Civil Code and terming religious personal laws as communal ones is highly objectionable.”
PM Modi’s Comments on Civil Code
“A big section (of society) believes and there is truth in this that the current civil code is in a way a communal civil code. It is a civil code which promotes discrimination. It divides the country along religious lines and promotes inequality,” PM Modi had said.
Dr. SQR Ilyas, the AIMPLB spokesperson, expressed shock and concern over the Prime Minister’s statements. He said that other religious communities also have family laws based on their religious and ancient traditions that are applicable in India. According to Dr. Ilyas, this uniform civil code is nothing but an instance of “tape-worm ” imbibing of western practices since in the vast cultural and religious spectrum of India, it may not be in sync.
Allegations of Misleading Intent
It also criticized the use of the term “secular civil code” by the Prime Minister instead of constitutionally recognized “uniform civil code.” It accused the Prime Minister of having a malafide intention to mislead the public by targeting Sharia law, not considering that such code might do to a number of communities differentiated by class, caste, and tribe.
Dr. Ilyas’s appeal, in his statement, was to the citizens to ponder over the sacrifices and dreams of India’s freedom fighters, not to be swayed by religious polarization and animosity that he alleged the present government was sowing. Very clearly, the stand of AIMPLB has brought to the fore once again the almost-continuing debate related to the uniform civil code in India, which continues to evoke strong reactions from different sections of society.