Malappuram: The Popular Front of India’s (PFI) move to merge its Darul Qaza, a court-like institution to resolve civil disputes among Muslims, with the All-India Muslim Personal Law Board’s (AIMPLB) Darul Qaza has annoyed Muslim organisations in the state. They allege that the move of Imams Council, a group affiliated to PFI, is a clandestine attempt to gain the support of the community misusing the name of AIMPLB which accommodates all Muslim organisations in the country. PFI’s Imams council has been running Darul Qaza in Kerala since 2009 without the recognition of the AIMPLB. Though the AIMPLB has members from all the Muslim organisaiton in the state, they were not informed about the merger move. This has drawn criticism from various corners.
AIMPLB member and general secretary of the largest Sunni body Samastha Kerala Jamiyathul Ulama Aalikutty Musliyar said that he was not aware of such a move. “There is no need to constitute such a body in Kerala since we have already well-established settlement committees across various mahals,” he said. Umar Faizy Mukkam, general secretary of Sunni Mahal Federation, said Imams Council being a fringe group does not have the support of other Muslim organisations. “Reconciliation institutions such as Darul Qaza, set up by such a group, is not acceptable and the AIMPLB should consider the mainstream organisations before going ahead with the move,” he said.
The local Muslim councils related to mosque administrations in the state which are called mahals have settlement committees to resolve civil disputes among Muslims. “Imams Council has no acceptance among the Muslims in the state and mainstream community organisations. They would never support PFI sponsored Darul Qaza being merged with AIMPLB’s,” says Sheikh Muhammed Karakkunnu, assistant Amir of Jamat-e-Islami Kerala. A two-day training programme for the selected people organised by the Imams Council is underway and attended by representatives AIMPLB. A public meeting is also slated to be held in Kozhikode on Wednesday.
