Indian Muslim body condemns Taslima Nasrin over Islamophobic remarks
Organization says Taslima Nasrin's remarks falsely malign Islamic seminaries and has called on Indian government to prevent foreign nationals from interfering in country's internal affairs
NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has condemned controversial Bangladeshi fugitive writer Taslima Nasrin over remarks about Islamic seminaries in India, accusing her of spreading “blatant falsehoods” and attempting to interfere in the country’s internal affairs.
According to a statement issued by the body, Nasrin made the remarks during a recent media interaction in Kolkata after returning to India following a 19-year absence.
The organization said her comments on India’s proposed controversial Uniform Civil Code and madrasas were inflammatory, misleading and factually baseless.
AIMPLB spokesperson Dr. S.Q.R. Ilyas rejected Nasrin’s allegation that Islamic seminaries promote extremism or produce “jihadis,” describing it as “a blatant falsehood, a malicious slander, and a deliberate attempt to malign an entire religious and educational tradition.”
He said such accusations hurt the religious sentiments of millions of Indian Muslims and amounted to a calculated effort to undermine the country’s communal harmony.
The Muslim body also criticized Nasrin, who is living in India as a refugee, for commenting on the country’s religious, constitutional and social issues.
It argued that India should not permit anyone to spread hatred, defame religious institutions or interfere in the country’s internal affairs under the guise of freedom of expression.
Calling on the Indian government to intervene, the Board urged authorities to ensure that such individuals remain within the bounds of the law and prevent what it described as the recurrence of provocative statements targeting religious institutions.
Referring to Nasrin’s remarks about Bangladesh, Ilyas said her comments were equally irresponsible and inconsistent with India’s balanced foreign policy. He argued that such statements could adversely affect bilateral relations between the two neighboring countries and urged New Delhi to take serious note of the issue.
The AIMPLB said attempts to portray Islamic seminaries as centers of extremism were part of a long-running campaign against madrasas.
It argued that despite repeated allegations over several decades, neither those making the claims nor India’s investigative and security agencies had produced credible evidence linking madrasas to extremist activities.
The organization said thousands of madrasas across India educate millions of children without placing a financial burden on the government and that many graduates go on to serve in the judiciary, academia, journalism, civil services and other professions.
It said defaming such institutions was unjust and harmful to the country’s educational system and social harmony.
The Board urged the Indian government to take Nasrin’s inflammatory remarks seriously, prevent foreign refugees from interfering in India’s internal and religious affairs, and ensure that the country’s constitutional and social fabric is not undermined by what it called the hate-driven politics of foreign individuals.
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