Shiah Personal Law Board to meet in Mumbai

Mumbai: The All India Shiah Personal Law Board (AISPLB) will meet this Sunday in the city to discuss religious, social, educational, economic and political issues of the community. Common Civil Code and Sachchar-like study for the Shiah community are among the issues that will be discussed at the Mughal Masjid, Bhendi Bazaar.

This was announced by the community leaders on Friday at a press conference held at the Marathi Patrakar Sangh.

The annual meet will be presided over by Maulana Syed Saim Mehdi, president of the AISPLB who was also present at the press meet. Among others who were present were Maulana Yasoob Abbas, vice president Maulana Zaheer Abbas Rizvi, vice president, Maharashtra State and Sardar Nawab Shah among others.

"We are against Common Civil Code. It will be put up for discussion where other speakers from across India will also give their opinion on the issue," said Mr Rizvi.

These included reservation to Shiahs as per their population in the government, reservation in jobs as per economic criteria of Shiah, an improvement on unnecessary expenditure on marriages and demise, to end terrorism in India and across the world, improvement in their prosperity, a monument of the daughter of Prophet Mohammed in Saudi Arabia and representation in Kashmir among others.

“Like Sachar Committee studied the Muslim community, we want a similar study done for Shiahs as well. We also want a Shiah Waqf board in all states. As of now, there is a feeling that the benefits of reservations do not reach us. We want that it should be as per our population,” said Mr Rizvi.

“There used to be a monument to the daughter of Prophet Mohammed that was pulled down by the Saudi Arabian government. We want the Indian government to take up that issue with the Saudis. Like that of Prophet Mohammed, there can be something for his daughter too,” said Maulana Abbas.