Fearing trouble, venue of AIMPLB meet shifted

LUCKNOW: Apprehending trouble from the supporters of ousted cleric Maulana Salman Nadwi, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has decided to change the venue of its executive committee meeting from Lucknow to New Delhi. Earlier scheduled at Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulema here on July 15, the meet will now be held at New Horizon School near Humayun’s Tomb in New Delhi.

LUCKNOW: Apprehending trouble from the supporters of ousted cleric Maulana Salman Nadwi, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has decided to change the venue of its executive committee meeting from Lucknow to New Delhi.

Earlier scheduled at Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulema here on July 15, the meet will now be held at New Horizon School near Humayun’s Tomb in New Delhi.

Confirming that the Board has decided to shift the venue of the meeting, AIMPLB secretary Zafaryab Jilani said maybe it was because New Delhi had better air connectivity. “It will be easier for members who come from various parts of the country to attend the meeting in New Delhi,” he said. A senior member of the Board, who did not wish to be named, confirmed that the decision was taken after the supporters of Maul ana Sal man Nadwi, a teacher in Nadwa seminary, threatened to disrupt the meeting.

The Nadwa cleric was suspended by AIMPLB on February 12 in its Hyderabad meeting after he tried to broker a negotiation and out-of-court settlement of the Ayodhya dispute with the help of Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravishankar. “The venue of the meeting is decided by the Board’ s president in consultation with the general secretary ,” said Maulana Khalid Rash id Farangi Mahli, another member of the body. He added that the decision to hold the meeting in Lucknow was taken in June. The change in venue was communicated by AIM PL B through a com mu- nique on Tuesday which cited “certain unavoidable circumstances” as there ason behind the decision. HT has a copy of the letter.

While Maulana Salman was not available for comment, sources close to him confirmed he was hurt over the way he was humiliated by some members of the Board for taking the initiative on the Ayodhya dispute. “Two AIMPLB members in particular, Kamal Farooqui and SQR Ilyas, were particularly very scathing in their attack on Maulana Salman in the Hyderabad session,” confirmed a member who attended the meeting.

Incidentally, Maulana Salman is also a kin of AIMPLB president Maulana Rabey Hasani Nadwi, the rector of Darul Uloom Nadwa. “Besides discussion on the court case over Ayodhya dispute, the items on agenda include chalking out away forward on how to spread awareness about Shariah laws with the help of its women members and social media,” said Maulana Khalid Rashid.

He said the AIM PL B was of the view that the propaganda against Muslim laws should be countered on the same media and it might constitute a special panel for the purpose.

“The Board is happy over the way its women members played an active role and led a countrywide protest over the passing of Triple Talaq Bill in Parliament,” he said.

“The campaign on instant triple talaq had not only created awareness but also helped in removing misconceptions among both Muslims and non-Muslims that instant triple divorce was one of the most deplorable practise and should be shunned by the community,” he said.