Muslim scholars meet UP CM Akhilesh Yadav, seek enactment of law against blasphemy

LUCKNOW: A delegation of Muslim scholars from across Uttar Pradesh led by Imam of Eidgah, Lucknow, Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahli met chief minister (CM) Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday and demanded enactment of a law to punish anyone insulting the revered figures of all religions including Prophet of Islam and withdrawal of police cases against those who protested against insult of the Prophet by a Hindu Mahasabha leader.The protests had taken place in December 2015 and January 2016 at many parts of the state including Deoband, Basti, Tambaur and Lucknow.
In a meeting that lasted one hour, the delegation also congratulated the CM on completing four years in office and appreciated some decisions and initiatives taken by his government including admission of moallims, permission to Ayurved and Unani doctors to practise modern medicine, putting madrassas on the grant list, scholarship to Muslim girl students and aid for marriage of Muslim girls, substantial amount doled out for repair and maintenance of graveyard walls and establishment of Urdu study centres by Rafiq ul Mulk and Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav.
Maulana Khalid Rasheed said that Muslims appreciate appointment of Javeed Ahmed to the post of director general of police (DGP), the first Muslim to be appointed on the post by any government in Uttar Pradesh since Independence. However, he said, there were still some areas that needed attention and presented to the CM a memorandum of demands on behalf of Jamiat ul Muslameen.
The demands included formation of a Minorities Welfare Board, ensuring 20% reservation for Muslims in government, PAC and UP Police jobs, release of Muslims framed in false cases of terror activities and raise issues such as Aligarh Muslim University minority status and including Muslims in the purview of Section 341 in the Parliament through SP MPs.
The memorandum also demanded ensuring status quo on Babari Masjid and no permission to hold any events on the premises till the matter is pending in Supreme Court, removing of hurdles in the way of construction of mosques in government and private colonies, including Baghban (Muslim gardeners) in the category of Backward Class of gardeners and special attention to upkeep of minorities' institutions and permission to appoint teachers.
Further, the delegation demanded removal of objectionable content from school textbooks and inclusion of names and biographies of Muslims who fought and made sacrifices for freedom of India, including Allama Fal e Haq Khairabadi, Maulana Abdul Baari Farangi Mahli, Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar and Maulana Mehmood Hasan Deobandi and promotion of Urdu by making it compulsory in schools from classes I to X and Urdu department in every college in the state, apart from Rs 5 crore annual grant to UP State Sunni Waqf Board and rent for government buildings on waqf land. The demand also included compensation for shopkeepers whose shops were gutted in the fire in Aminabad's Mumtaz Market and construction of rest houses for tourists and beautification of the pilgrim centres across UP.
The delegation included vice president of All India Muslim Personal Law Board Maulana Shah Ashrafuddin Kachhauchhavi, Imam of Varanasi's Gyanvyapi Masjid Maulana Mufti Abdul Batin Nomani, Sajjadanasheen of Allahabad's Khanqah Ajmal Maulana Nasir Fakhri, Darul Uloom Deoband's Maulana Abdullah Qamar, Principal of Darul Uloom Farangi Mahal Maulana Naeem ur Rahman Siddiqui, Kanpur Sheher Qazi Maulana Mateen ul Haq Osama Qasmi, All India Sunni Board president Maulana Mushtaq, Sajjadanasheen of Shahmina Shah dargah Sheikh Rashid Ali Minai, Secretary of All-India Jamiat ul Muslameen from Sant Kabir Nagar Maulana Shuaib Nadvi and Secretary of Islamic Centre of India Mohammad Nadeem Ahmed.