AIMPLB distances itself from Sajjad Nomani’s speech

LUCKNOW: The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) on Friday distanced itself from the speech delivered by Maulana Sajjad Nomani on the basis of which a sedition case has been registered against him by the Uttar Pradesh Police.

The board did not deny that the speech was delivered by Maulana Sajjad, a video CD of which has been made available to the police, but clarified it was not delivered at any of AIMPLB sessions.

“Maulana Sajjad Nomani did not give the speech that Waseem Rizvi referred to in his FIR in any of the sessions of the Board in Hyderabad,” the AIMPLB tweeted on Friday.

The UP Police had registered a case of sedition against Maulana Sajjad Nomani on the complaint made by UP Shia Waqf Board Chairman Waseem Rizvi on Tuesday. According to Rizvi, Nomani, who is AIMPLB spokesperson, had given a speech in the Board’s session in Hyderabad that promoted enmity between different groups on ground of religion.

Meanwhile, several organisations fighting for social justice have come out in support of Maulana Sajjad and have started a campaign with the hashtag #We R with Sajjad Nomani.

“Maulana Nomani is working for the unity of underprivileged sections. The FIR has been lodged to prevent him from doing this. The BAMCEF, Bharat Mukti Morcha and all its other offshoots stand by him in these trying times,” said Waman Meshram, president of BAMCEF, who has started the hashtag campaign.

“Rizvi (Shia Board chief) has joined hands with right wing forces to be in their good books and save his own chair,” said another supporter of the cleric.

Maulana Nomani promptly retweeted Meshram’s tweet and urged his followers: “Please re-tweet.”

The AIMPLB followed suit and re-tweeted albeit with a clarification that the speech in question was not delivered at any of its sessions.