The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) yesterday distanced from secretary Maulana Umrain Mahfuz Rahmani and national spokesperson Maulana Sajjad Nomani’s reported comments apparently praising the Taliban for its success in the capture of Afghanistan.
Taking the Twitter account of AIMPLB, they wrote, “All India Muslim Personal Law Board has neither expressed any view nor given any statement on Taliban and the recent political situation of Afghanistan. Opinion of some Board members has been portrayed as Board’s stand by few media channels and wrong things are being attributed to the Board,”
An official report stated that Sajjad Nomani had praised the Taliban and termed the outfit as ‘history-makers. Maulana Umrain Mahfuz, on the other hand, tweeted that the Taliban conquered Afghanistan with the “eternal wealth of faith and belief”. He also praised the general amnesty that the Taliban declared after completing the takeover of the country.
This comes at a time when a sedition case has been filed against Samajwadi Party leader Shafiqur Rahman Barq’s alleged remarks comparing the Taliban to India’s freedom fighters. “They want to be free. This is their personal matter. How can we interfere?” Barq said.
The charges against the Samajwadi Party MP include Sections 124A (Sedition), 153A (Promoting enmity between groups) and 295A (outraging religious feelings) of the Indian Penal Code.
One Rajesh Singhal filed a complaint against the MP based on which he was booked. “Taliban have been declared a terrorist organisation by the Indian government. These statements come under sedition. The police will take strict actions against the people making such statements,” Sambhal SP Chakresh Mishra said.
The comment has evoked a sharp response. Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya said there is no difference between Imran Khan if such statements are given.
However, Burq said in his statement was misinterpreted and he never supported the Taliban. “I did not make any such statement. My statement has been misinterpreted. I am a citizen of India, not of Afghanistan, so I have no business with what is happening there. I support my government’s policies,” the Samajwadi Party MP said.
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