NEW DELHI: More than 90 citizens, who identify themselves as progressive Muslim activists, intellectuals and women’s rights advocates, have strongly opposed what they cited as the “ill-conceived” nationwide ‘Save India, Save Shariat’ campaign launched by All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) last week.In a statement, they have called upon all progressive forces, civil society organisations and secular political parties to intervene actively to ensure that the demand for a gender-just, religion-neutral Uniform Civil Code is rooted in equality and human rights, rather than being weaponised for communal division.
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The statement’s signatories include Naseeruddin Shah, Zeenat Shaukat Ali, Sultan Shaheen, Teesta Setalvad, Ram Puniyani, Tushar Gandhi, Amol Palekar, Mallika Sarabhai. Ratna Pathak, Javed Anand and Feroze Mithiborwala (Indian Muslims for Secular Democracy-IMSD), Zakia Soman and Noorjahan Safia Niaz (Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan-BMMA), Shamsuddin Tamboli (Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal) and Bader Saeed (Roshni). “The so-called ‘God-given Shariat Law’ in India are man-made personal laws shaped by patriarchal interpretations and defended by AIMPLB,” the statement said, adding that AIMPLB selectively invokes Articles 25-30 (religious freedom), ignoring these rights are subject to public order, morality, and health.