Board to Act on Mosque Security, Calls for Jamia Student Union Elections
New Delhi, October 28: The All India Muslim Personal Law Board has signalled that it will take required measures to secure mosques. Board spokesperson Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas said a comprehensive effort would be made to ensure mosque safety, with participation from people of all communities.
Ilyas also extended support to the demand for student union elections at Jamia Millia Islamia University and objected to the administration's handling of the issue.
Talking to IANS, he said there have been incidents of mosques being occupied in several parts of the country. He gave the example of Punjab, where some mosques were captured but were later liberated.
He added that such events occur in different parts of the world. Mosques are sometimes demolished, but Muslims continue to hold the spirit to rebuild and repopulate them. According to him, these incidents must be checked.
During a meeting of the board's 51-member monitoring committee, the need to take steps for mosque security was discussed. The meeting decided that concrete initiatives would be pursued.
Ilyas said the initiative would not involve Muslims alone but also people from other communities. Each community, he noted, has a deep emotional connection with its places of worship, and attacks on religious sites are a sensitive concern.
Reacting to the protests by students at Jamia Millia Islamia University, Ilyas faulted the university administration. He said a student union is a fundamental requirement for students and an essential channel for raising their problems with the administration.
He asked why student union elections could be held at Delhi University, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), but not at Jamia. Imposing restrictions on these polls and trying to block the process, he said, is wrong.
He further questioned the administration's alleged stance that elections would take place 15 days after the constitution is prepared. Since no fixed deadline exists for finalising the constitution, he said, the election date would stay uncertain.
Students are demanding that the administration announce a definite date for the elections. Ilyas warned that if the delay continues, voting may not take place even by the close of the academic year.