Kozhiode: Caution seemed to be the watchword and a refusal to fall into the trap of fostering divisive atmosphere the consensus, when Muslim organisations in Kerala met here on Tuesday to discuss the strategy to counter the BJP government's move to introduce Uniform Civil Code (UCC). The overall approach of the cross section of Kerala's Muslim community was shared by most of the delegates whose joint session called on the community at large as well as organisations to not play into the hands of divisive forces that aim at communal polarisation.
The decision taken at the meeting, held at Marina Tower, in this connection highlighted the fact that UCC is not an issue that affects Muslims alone, but is a matter that cuts into the secular social fabric of the nation. Keeping this clearly in view, the conclave appealed to all religious organisations and political parties to prevent a uniform civil code from coming into being, and more than that to prevent the same being used as a tool to divide communities.
The Muslim Co-ordination Committee, a not-so-rigid Muslim confederation of Muslim outfits that took shape recently to resist moves to damage the identity and character of Muslims as a religious community, also decided to create awareness about the motives behind UCC and to that end conduct seminars with the participation of all sections of the society cutting across religious, caste and political borders. A core committee was formed who will decide the date and venue of such seminars.
Although the leading party of the ruling Left Front of Kerala, the CPI-M has also decided to hold a seminar as a kick-off of its campaign against UCC, Tuesday's meeting refrained from taking a decision about being part of it, but the general consensus was not to be part of campaigns held by partisan organisations. However, it will co-operate with programmes in which all groupings are constituents.
The meeting of community bodies took place, with the Kerala President of Indian Union Muslim League, Panakkad Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal in the chair, in the backdrop of the Modi government's recently accelerated moves to bring in UCC. All Muslim organisations were represented at the session including the two Sunni factions who between them constitute a majority of the community. Organisations that represent strong disagreements with other factions, were present to uphold the common cause.
Sadiq Ali Thangal, who later gave a brief of the meeting, said that UCC is not a matter to be dealt with through street fights, but an issue to be resisted through legal and political means. For this, political parties also should take care to behave with responsibility, especially to avoid creating schisms among the people.
However, the BJP has been seeing this issue as part of its divisive agenda, after its pet themes of Ram temple, triple talaq and citizenship amendment act. The meeting observed that all tribal communities in the north eastern states have their own civil code. And the Law Commission headed by Justice BS Chauhan and appointed by the Modi government in 2016 has stated that uniform civil code is neither necessary nor desirable at this stage when the time is not ripe to contemplate such a legislation. As such the BJP is driven solely by electoral considerations in the upcoming polls, in an attempt to garner majority votes. The meeting also pointed out that the demand from BJP circles for exempting tribal sections from UCC has laid bare the motives of the BJP.
IUML leader PK Kunhalikutty MLA made the introductory speech and PMA Salam welcomed the gathering. The meeting was attended by prominent leaders of leading organisations including IUML's ET Muhammed Basheer MP and Dr Abdussamad Samadani MP, and other organisation leaders Dr Bahauddeen Muhammed Nadwi, Prof AK Abdul Hameed, TP Abdulla Koya Madani, Ddr Husaind Madavoor, Dr Fasal Gafoor, MK Mohammed Ali, Shihab Pookkottoor besides other leaders.