Keep away from violence, don't let Hindutva forces target us: Muslim body

Jaipur, Mar 23: After announcing a campaign to counter right-wing forces, All India Muslim Personal Law Board has asked community youths to keep away from any activity against the law so that Hindutva forces do not get an opportunity to "target and defame them".

Addressing a huge public gathering last night at the end of executive and general body meeting, the speakers asked the community to be "united and remain firm on their religious belief and not bow to any pressure which seeks to violate their personal law."

"The Board wants that Muslim youths do not get involved in any activity which is against the law. Our youths should not get provoked and involved in any violence so that the Hindutva forces do not get any reason to target them and defame the community," Maulana Fazlur Rahim Mujaddidi, convener of the national meeting of the Board, said in his address at Karbala ground here.

He told the gathering that the Board in its national meet has passed a declaration which seeks to warn Muslims against the "attempts of Hindutva forces like RSS to target them and force them to adopt anti-Islam practices."

Speakers at the public meeting, which concluded late night, unanimously asked the governments to withdraw practices which are in contradiction of Islam, including chapters of Bhagwad Gita in school syllabus, Yoga and Surya Namaskar in government schools. "We cannot worship the Sun through Surya Namaskar, cannot do Saraswati Vandana and read Bhagwad Gita's chapters and also cannot recite Vande Mataram. All these things are fundamentally against Islam and we and our sons cannot bind to follow them.

Any attempt of the government to enforce these things on us will not be tolerated and will be opposed strongly," another speaker said. Mujaddidi said that Muslims should withdraw admission of their children from such schools where these practices are being followed and to approach the court against such orders, if necessary.

He asked them "not to compromise with personal law and principles of Islam at any cost and in any circumstances." The Board's National President Maulana Syed Raabe Hasani Nadvi and other members were present in the public meeting.

PTI