New Delhi, Aug 4 (IANS) The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) on Tuesday condemned the allegedly “inflammatory, misleading, and factually baseless” remarks made by Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasrin against madrasas.
“Defaming such institutions, which render invaluable national service, is not only unjust but also detrimental to the country’s educational and social harmony,” said AIMPLB Spokesperson S.Q.R. Ilyas.
The AIMPLB calls upon the Union government to take serious cognisance of these inflammatory remarks and prevent foreign refugees from interfering in India’s internal and religious affairs, Ilyas added.
He said the Union government must ensure that the country’s constitutional and social fabric is not allowed to become a casualty of the hate-driven politics of any foreign individual.
He said Taslima Nasrin, while speaking to the media in Kolkata, made highly provocative statements regarding the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and Islamic seminaries (madrasas).
The Board described the Bangladesh author’s comments as an “irresponsible attempt by a foreign national to interfere in India’s internal affairs”.
Ilyas said that alleging that Islamic seminaries promote extremism or produce “jihadis” is nothing but a blatant falsehood, a malicious slander, and a deliberate attempt to malign an entire religious and educational tradition.
He added that such baseless accusations not only hurt the religious sentiments of millions of Indian Muslims but also appear to be a calculated effort to vitiate the country’s communal harmony.
Ilyas said it is deeply regrettable that a foreign national, who herself is living in India as a refugee, is making inflammatory comments on the country’s religious, constitutional, and social issues.
He emphasised that India cannot permit anyone, under the guise of freedom of expression, to spread hatred, defame religious institutions, or interfere in the country’s internal affairs.
He urged the Union government to ensure that such individuals remain within the bounds of the law and to prevent the recurrence of such provocative statements.
Referring to Taslima Nasrin’s comments on Bangladesh, Ilyas said that her remarks were equally irresponsible and inconsistent with India’s balanced foreign policy.
“Such statements have the potential to adversely affect bilateral relations between the two neighbouring countries, and the Indian government should take serious note of this aspect as well,” he added.
–IANS
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