Kerala Muslim forum seeks law to save family values

KOZHIKODE: Muslim Coordination Committee (MCC), a joint forum of the community organisations demanded enactment of new laws to protect the moral and family-based values of the country. The forum, which met here on Saturday, sought the intervention of the legislature in the backdrop of recent judgements by the Supreme Court decriminalising homosexuality and nullifying extramarital affair as a criminal offence.

“Our culture is based on family values, which serve protection and good upbringing of individuals. The court verdict decriminalising homosexuality will come against such long-cherished eternal values,” the committee observed.

The verdict on the women entry at Sabarimala and the ordinance which makes divorce a criminal offence are examples of illegitimate encroachment into civilian’s beliefs and religious life”, the forum said. The group foresees all these as a prelude to implementing the uniform civil code in the country. MCC decided to oppose such moves unitedly through legal recourse.

Those who attended the meeting included Syed Sadiqali Shihab Thangal, PK Kunhalikutty, MP, KPA Majeed, MP Abdussamad Samadani and MC Mayin Haji from Indian Union Muslim League, Dr Fazal Gafoor who represented Muslim Education Society (MES), KT Hamza Musliar, TP Abdullakoya Madani and Dr Hussain Madavoor (Kerala Nadvatul Mujahideen), Sheikh Mohammed Karakkunnu from Jama’ate Islami, and representatives of Wisdom Movement and Jamiyyathul Ulema.

The Law Commission of India had stated recently that a uniform civil code is neither necessary nor desirable at this stage and stressed upon removing discrimination against women within communities rather than looking for equality between communities in terms of family law. The Law Commission, headed by Justice BS Chauhan, came out with a Consultation Paper on Reform of Family Law, in response to a reference it had received from the Narendra Modi government on June 17, 2016 to ‘examine matters in relation to uniform civil code’.

Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulema, the scholar’s body representing Sunni Muslims, warned politicians of serious electoral consequences if they meddle in religious issues such as entry of women into Sunni mosques.