HYDERABAD: Slamming the Supreme Court for not referring the ruling in the Ismail Faruqui case of 1994 to a Constitutional Bench, All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) member and Majilis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaddudin Owaisi has said that the judiciary should not and cannot decide what is essential to a religion. Speaking to media here on Thursday, the Hyderabad MP said, “If in Islam, a masjid is not an important place, then what about the religious places of other religions? Judiciary cannot decide what is respectful in a religion. It is for the clergy to decide.”
He criticised the apparent use of Quran for furthering a motive. “When the triple talaq issue was being discussed, Quranic verses were cited. But, during this case, the Quran was not brought up.” The absence of mention of triple talaq in the Quran was a major reason when the Supreme Court had last year set aside the practice of triple talaq. “The mosque is mentioned in the Quran. It is mentioned in Hadees.”
Owaisi apprehended that the “enemies of secularism” could use the judgment to realise their ideological objectives. He slammed those who welcomed the decision and saw it as a step towards rebuilding the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. Reiterating the Supreme Court’s observation, he said that the ruling would not have an effect on the Ayodhya title deed case. Criticising the statements made by politicians who predicted the building of the temple before the 2019 general election, he said, “They should stop uttering these sentences. You might be propagating your ideologies but you are making fun of the Constitution.”
He also criticised the slow progress in the criminal case pertaining to Babri masjid demolition in which many politicians were charged. “The Babri title deed case is progressing faster than the criminal case. Thirty years have gone by and yet people facing criminal case are still out there. One of them has been made deputy chief minister, another has been awarded Padma Vibhushan and some others have been given the responsibility of cleaning the Ganga,” he remarked.
AIMPLB likely to challenge triple talaq ordinance in SC
Hyderabad: Alleging that the ordinance against triple talaq was a “fraud” made by the Centre, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) said that they are considering options to move against it in the Supreme Court. Speaking to media persons at AIMIM party headquarters, AIMPLB Assistant General Secretary Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rehmani said, “Our legal committee will discuss and may consider it (moving against the ordinance).”
Rehmani termed the triple talaq ordinance to be have been introduced through the “chor darwaza” as it was not referred to a standing committee or consulted with members of the community. AIMIM president and AIMPLB member Asaduddin Owaisi termed the ordinance as a fraud because the text of the ordinance had laid down that Supreme Court had rendered it unconstitutional. “That is not the case. The Supreme Court had merely set it aside,” he said adding that this was a diversionary tactic deployed by the Centre from important issues such as Rafale deal, unemployment numbers and hike in petrol/diesel prices.