Shia personal law board expresses concern over survey of mosques, dargahs

Lucknow: The All-India Shia Personal Law Board (AISPLB), country's largest Shia Muslims' organisation, on Thursday expressed concern over the recent incidents of surveying mosques and dargahs in the country by declaring them as temples and appealed to the Supreme Court and the government to strictly enforce the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991.

In the Board's national executive meeting held in Lucknow, the issues of surveying Muslim religious places across the country by declaring them as temples, increasing disrespect for mosques, protection of waqf properties, ongoing Israel-Palestine war in the Middle East and political changes in Syria were discussed.

Talking to PTI, AISPLB general secretary Maulana Yasoob Abbas said, "Many members in the meeting expressed deep concern over the growing trend of conducting surveys of mosques and dargahs to find temples underneath them and said if this continues, the atmosphere of the country will deteriorate."

He further said, "In the meeting, an appeal was made to the Supreme Court and the government to stop this practice. The Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act of 1991 should be strictly implemented, which states that except the Babri Masjid, every religious place in the country will remain in the same form as it was on August 15, 1947."

The board welcomed the recent decision of the Supreme Court regarding the survey of mosques and said this decision is an important step for the safety of mosques and religious freedom. This will strengthen communal harmony and increase the confidence of the minority community, it said.

Board chairman Maulana Saim Mehdi said in the last decade, there has been an increase in the trend of anti-social elements pelting stones on the walls of mosques, making provocative slogans and derogatory comments, forcibly putting flags or symbols of other religions on mosques and giving provocative speeches in front of mosques by misusing loudspeakers.

"The organisations and anti-social elements doing such acts should be identified and strict action should be taken against them," he said.

Abbas said, "In recent times, cases of targeting mosques have increased, which is a threat to the Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb of the country. It is the responsibility of the governments to ensure the safety of mosques by enforcing the law." Illegal occupation of waqf properties and their protection were also discussed in the meeting and the Board advocated the creation of a special monitoring mechanism for the protection of waqf properties.

Mehdi said, "Protection of waqf properties is a collective responsibility. This is a trust for our future generations, which we have to protect at all costs." The Board also expressed deep displeasure over the proceedings of the joint committee of Parliament on the Waqf Amendment Bill, 2024.

Abbas said, "The JPC should have taken the opinion of those organisations which are directly associated with the waqf, and not those institutions which have nothing to do with it." On the Israel and Palestine war, and the political changes in Syria, the Board members stressed that the "genocide" being carried out by Israel in Gaza should be stopped immediately.

Abbas said, "A government of the terrorist organisation Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) has been formed in Syria. This government is headed by Abu Mohammad al-Julani, who is a terrorist. In such a situation, a serious threat has arisen to the lives and holy places of minorities in Syria, especially the Shia community."

The Board appealed to the United Nations and human rights organisations to ensure the safety of the holy places in Syria and the Shia community there.