Shia body condemns atrocities against Hindu minorities in Bangladesh

Lucknow: The All India Shia Personal Law Board (AISPLB) on Sunday condemned the atrocities against Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, saying Islam prohibits the killing of any innocent person and those doing so in the name of religion should refrain from it.

The condemnation came at the AISPLB's annual convention held at the Bara Imambara here. It was attended by Ulema and Muslim scholars from various states of India, as well as from Bangladesh and Nepal.

"The meeting strongly condemned the atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh and stated that Islam strictly prohibits the killing of any innocent person, and those who commit such inhumane acts in the name of religion should refrain from doing so," AISPLB general secretary Maulana Yasoob Abbas told PTI.

A Hindu man, Dipu Chandra Das (27), was lynched by a mob and his body set on fire over alleged blasphemy in Baluka in Bangladesh's Mymensingh district earlier this month. About 12 people have been arrested so far in connection with the murder.

Another Hindu man, Amrit Mondal alias Samrat, was killed by a mob in Rajbari Town on December 24. The Bangladesh government, however, has said that Mondal was accused in several serious cases, including murder and extortion, and that the incident was not a communal attack.

Abbas further said that the convention stated that every act of terrorism occurring worldwide is highly condemnable, and those who perpetrate terrorism, or patronise terrorists, or provide them with any kind of assistance are enemies of humanity.

A powerful movement should be launched against terrorism so that the handful of terrorists are terrified, he said.

According to the AISPLB general secretary, a 23-point resolution was unanimously passed at the meeting.

The resolution demanded that the government withdraw the Waqf Amendment Act, reconsider the decision to implement the uniform civil code and the National Register of Citizens, create a Waqf protection commission on the lines of the Minority Commission, provide adequate representation to Shias in the Central Haj Committee, pressure the Saudi Arabian government to allow Shias to construct shrines at Jannatul Baqi in Medina for the daughter of Prophet Muhammad and the four Imams, and reserve seats for Shia Muslims in Parliament and state assemblies, among other things.

During the convention, concern was expressed over incidents of mob lynching in the country. The Shia body demanded that the government enact strict laws against it.

Abbas said that the resolution also stated that due to the wrong policies of some Muslim rulers in the past and the activities of some extremist elements in the present, the image of Islam and Muslims has been tarnished not only in India but throughout the world.

Taking advantage of this, anti-Islam elements spread hatred against the religion and Muslims. The AISPLB will contact those people and parties in India and abroad who are either victims of misconceptions about Muslims or who continuously speak out against Muslims through their speeches and writings to present the real picture, he said.