Cases against perpetrators of Gujarat riots soon

LUCKNOW: Individual members of the All-India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) would soon file criminal suits against perpetrators of Gujarat riots, according to Maulana Rabe Hasan Nadvi, AIMPLB president and rector of internationally-known Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulema.
Talking to Times News Network on Wednesday, Maulana Rabe, who has grown under the towering personality of Maulana Ali Mian and whose shoes he eventually stepped into both at Nadwa and AIMPLB, said: “The board will not lend its name to the suits but all possible help will be provided to the members.All the legal aspects of the cases are being worked out.�
Asked about the recent provocative speeches of Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi against minorities, particularly Muslims, during his ‘gaurav yatra’ for which he was admonished by BJP president Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday, Maulana Rabe said: “We don’t want to put everything on record but the board is taking cognizance of Modi’s diatribe. Since our Hindu brethren are already criticising Modi and others responsible for the Gujarat riots, we don’t want to engage in a verbal duel with him.�
“This is, perhaps, for the first time that Hindus have come out so openly in favour of Muslims,� Maulana Rabe added. When his attention was drawn towards September 28 Sant Sammelan in Lucknow for chalking out future course of action in connection with the construction of Ram temple and the UP government’s delaying tactics in not issuing a notification, Maulana Rabe said: “We will wait for the court’s verdict. This is a very democratic and reasonable way to solve this problem.�
The Maulana agreed that Muslims needed a united platform but refused to form a political wing of AIMPLB, like the one it had created to look after the Babri Masjid dispute.
“The basic aim of the board is to deal with the problems of shariat. We don’t want to come in the open nor we intend to appeal for formation of any political party. But, yes, the need of the hour is unity. All-India Milli Council and Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawirat are active in this field and the board is providing them all help.� When it was pointed out that the two bodies lacked following among Muslims, the Maulana said: “If they do sincere work their acceptability will increase.�
The Maulana termed the talk of common civil code as an infringement on Muslims’ rights guaranteed in the Constitution. “There are so many codes in India that a common civil code is virtually impossible. We won’t mind if they make a common code for Hindus but we will oppose one for Muslims with all our means.�
On triple talaq, the Maulana said: “In the first place, Islam preaches harmonious relations between husband and wife. But if the relations between the two reach the point of no return, Islam also gives the freedom to the warring partners to opt for a talaq. Normally, one month is given between the three talaqs. But if the husband and wife so decide then triple talaq can be given at one go.� When his attention was drawn that this provision could be misused by some unscrupulous men, Maulana Rabe said: “Exceptions are always there�.
Maulana Rabe, an Arabic scholar, who has just returned from Egypt where he had gone to attend Universal League of Islamic Literature conference, said: “The USA’s animosity towards Muslims after the WTC attack has antagonised the entire Muslim world, particularly Egypt and Saudi Arabia, the two most-trusted US allies in the Arab world. America is losing its friends.�