Pasmanda group warns AIMPLB Shariat drive could polarise voters ahead of UP polls

The All India Muslim Personal Law Board's (AIMPLB) decision to launch a nationwide campaign to protect Sharia and the Constitution has drawn sharp criticism from a prominent Pasmanda Muslim organisation, which fears the move could polarise voters ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

Ali Anwar Ansari, former MP and national president of the All India Pasmanda Muslim Mahaz (AIPMM), called the campaign "uncalled for," arguing it was driven by "emotional and religious slogans" and carried the risk of causing religious polarisation. He said there was "no immediate cause" for such a drive.

Ansari warned that launching the campaign under current circumstances would ultimately benefit right-wing forces. While not doubting the intentions of AIMPLB officials, he expressed regret over their "lack of wisdom." He pointed to visible issues such as the targeting of Muslims through SIR, delimitation, and large-scale removal of names from voter lists, asserting that democracy and the Constitution face a clear threat.

He suggested that if religious leaders had focused on issues of common public concern rather than emotional matters, they could have secured sympathy and support from people of all religions.

Recalling the Shah Bano case, Ansari noted how Muslim religious leaders had pressured the Rajiv Gandhi government to overturn the Supreme Court's judgment, leading to the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act in 1986. He added that under pressure from right-wing forces, the government was forced to unlock the Babri Masjid, the fallout of which the country still endures.

Ansari regretted that Muslim organisations and influential leaders were talking less in the larger interest of the public and community, engaging instead in the politics of individual bargaining. With elections approaching in Uttar Pradesh, he stressed the need to stay away from such religious campaigns.

The AIMPLB announced the "Save India, Save Shariat" drive on August 31, stating that "selective enforcement of law was not acceptable and houses were being bulldozed selectively." The campaign, beginning September 17 and running for three months, aims to highlight concerns over the Uniform Civil Code adopted by various states, framing it as an attack on Muslim identity and religious freedom.

During its press conference in Delhi, the board raised concerns about the protection of civil and constitutional rights without specifically mentioning Uttar Pradesh. It also strongly objected to the move to make all six stanzas of Vande Mataram compulsory.