New Delhi: The All India Muslim Personal Law Board filed an application for impleadment in the matter dealing with the Places of Worship Act 1991 and defended it saying that the object of the Places of Worship Act, 1991 is to prevent such disturbance of public order and to maintain public peace and tranquillity and strengthen ‘basic feature of secularism’!
AIMPLB has filed an application for impleadment in the matter dealing with the places of worship act and urged the Supreme Court to allow it to be impleaded as the party in the matter.
AIMPLB claimed that the object of the Places of Worship Act 1991, is to prevent such disturbance of public order and maintain public peace and tranquillity and strengthen basic features of secularism.
Notably, the Places of Worship Act of 1991, was brought by the then Congress Government to prevent Hindus from reclaiming the temples under Islamic occupation. The legislation, which prevents Hindus from reclaiming temples under Islamic occupation, was introduced in the Parliament by the efforts of the Indian Union Muslim League and its leader GM Banatwala, who was also a Member of Parliament.
AIMPLB is an Islamist NGO constituted in 1973 to adopt suitable strategies for the protection and continued applicability of Muslim Personal Law in India. Since its inception, the AIMPLB has been opposing all reformist tendencies in the religion.
In the application filed by AIMPLB, it said that “there appears to be a trend of filing the PIL petitions; selectively targeting the issues relating to a particular minority community with the intention to use the pendency of such cases to fuel hate politics on the ground.”
AIMPLB further added that the court must not allow such unregulated PILs, which have the potential to create uncalled-for new items; consequentially leading to a publicity stunt for these petitioners.
AIMPLB has filed the application in various PILs challenging the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, which also mentioned the controversy that erupted in respect of Babri Masjid in the application, said that the object and the purpose of the Act are to put an end to ancient and stale claims relating to the places of worship.
“Any dispute relating to place of worship between different communities is highly sensitive and endangers the breach of public order and disturbing the peace and tranquillity of the society. Such disputes disturb the social fabric of Society by polarizing the people on the ground of religion. Our country has witnessed blood baths after the controversy erupted in respect of Babri Masjid,” the application said.
The Supreme Court will hear Tuesday various petitions dealing with the places of worship act. (With the inputs from ANI)
