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Progressive Muslims reject AIMPLB’s 'Save Shariah' Campaign; Call for gender justice and real reforms

Progressive Muslim activists, intellectuals and women's rights advocates strongly oppose the ill-conceived nationwide ‘Save India, Save Shariat’ campaign launched by the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB).

The statement has been Initiated jointly by Javed Anand and Feroze Mithiborwala (Indian Muslims for Secular Democracy-IMSD), Zakia Soman and Noorjahan Safia Niaz (Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan-BMMA), Shamsuddin Tamboli (Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal) and Bader Saeed (Roshni). 

The signatories to the statement include Naseeruddin Shah, Zeenat Shaukat Ali, Sultan Shaheen, Teesta Setalvad, Ram Puniyani, Tushar Gandhi, Amol Palekar, Mallika Sarabhai, Ratna Pathak.

Read the full statement below:  

Progressive Muslim activists, intellectuals and women's rights advocates strongly oppose the ill-conceived nationwide ‘Save India, Save Shariat’ campaign launched by the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB).

• A Political Gift to Polarisation:  

Following the 2024 Lok Sabha elections where civil society and opposition parties rallied under 'Save the Constitution', the AIMPLB's campaign inadvertently gives the BJP and the sangh parivar a platform to posture as defenders of constitutional norms. Ahead of crucial state assembly elections, this campaign reinforces false narratives and fuels propaganda that Indian Muslims reject the law of the land.

• Defending Patriarchy in the Name of Faith:  

The so-called “God-given Shariat Law’ in India is nothing but man-made personal laws, male interpreted patriarchal interpretations defended by the AIMPLB. In its September 2016 Supreme Court affidavit in the Triple Talaq case (Sayara Bano v. Union of India), the AIMPLB through its affidavit claimed divorce rights belong primarily to husbands because men allegedly possess "greater power of decision-making" and "control emotions." It even argued that without quick separation option, a husband "may resort to illegal, criminal ways of murdering or burning her alive"—a disturbing rationalization of domestic violence. While claiming these laws are divine, the Board admitted in Paragraph 46 that "India is a patriarchal society, and therefore personal laws of all communities are aligned with the patriarchal notion..."

• Selective Use of the Constitution: 

 The AIMPLB selectively invokes Articles 25–30 (Religious Freedom), ignoring that these rights are explicitly subject to public order, morality, and health. They conveniently bypass Articles 14 and 15, which guarantee equality before the law and prohibit sex or religion-based discrimination. 

• Global Precedents of Reform: 

Muslim-majority nations worldwide—including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Tunisia, and Morocco—have codified and reformed personal laws to protect women's rights. Millions of Muslims live in secular democratic nations with uniform family codes without putting "Islam in danger." The Muslim community’s current legal predicament in India is the direct result of the AIMPLB and conservative leaders failing to proactively reform and codify Muslim Personal Law.

• Exposing Political Exploitation: 

 While mainstream parties often ignore Muslim women's civil rights, the Hindu Right exploits the UCC debate for political polarization. Genuine family law reform must guarantee Muslim women equal rights regarding minimum marriage age, abolition of polygamy, mutual divorce, equal inheritance, child custody, adoption, and a ban on female genital mutilation and halala.

• BJP, Sangh Parivar’s Hate Campaign: 

While secular parties rarely support the rights of Muslim women, the BJP and the Hindu Right do so with an obvious motive: communal polarization. The sangh parivar sheds crocodile tears for Muslim women while ignoring relentless hate speech (love jihad, land jihad…) and hate crimes—mob lynching, bulldozing homes, demolishing masjids, and economic boycotts, with chants of Jai Shri Ram to strike fear and intimidation. This accompanies state actions targeting Muslims: Waqf Amendment Act, draconian anti-conversion laws, and a weaponised SIR (Special Intensive Revision of Electoral Rolls) to disenfranchise vast sections of the electorate.

• Ignoring Everyday Survival Concerns: 

 While 'Saving Shariah' tops the AIMPLB's agenda, real life everyday challenges facing Indian Muslims—socio-economic marginalization, security, education, and employment—are ignored. The ulema must address survival issues rather than furthering retrogressive norms.

• Our Call:

 We call upon all progressive forces, civil society organizations, and secular political parties to intervene actively to ensure that the demand for a gender-just, religion-neutral Uniform Civil Code is rooted in equality and human rights, rather than weaponized for communal division.

Signatories:

1. Javed Anand, Convenor, Indian Muslims for Secular Democracy (IMSD), Mumbai

2. Zakia Soman, Co-convenor, Bhartiya Muslim Mahila Andolan (BMMA), Ahmedabad

3. Noorjehan Safia Niaz, Co-convenor, BMMA, Mumbai

4. Feroze Mithiborwala, Co-Convenor, IMSD, Mumbai

5. Shamsuddin Tamboli, Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal, Pune

6. Bader Sayeed, Former MLA, lawyer, President, Roshni, Chennai

7. A. J. Jawad, Lawyer, Arbitrator, IMSD, Chennai

8. Afroz Javed Inamdar, Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal Bengaluru

9. Ajij Sayyed Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal Pune

10. Akbar Shaikh, Social Activist, IMSD, Farmer, Solapur

11. Altaphusen Ramjan Nabab, Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal, Satara

12. Amar Tamboli, Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal Satara

13. Amol Palekar - Actor, director, film producer - Pune

14. Anand Patwardhan, Documentary Filmmaker, Mumbai

15. Ani Zonneveld, President, Muslims for Progressive Values (MPV), USA, and Founder Member, Alliance of Inclusive Muslims (International)

16. Anita Cheria, Indian Christian Women's Movement, Bangalore

17. Anjum Rajabali, Film Script writer, IMSD, Mumbai 

18. Anwar Shaikh, Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal, Pune

19. Arshad Alam, Columnist, editor, IMSD, Delhi

20. Ashok Dhiware IPS, Rtd. Additional DIG of Maharashtra State, Pune

21. (Dr) Ashwini KP, UN independent Expert, Bangalore

22. Asim Sayyed, Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal, Pune

23. Askari Zaidi, Veteran journalist, IMSD, Delhi

24. (Prof) Azharuddin Patel, Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal, Satara

25. Azim Pathan, Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal, Pune

26. Benazeer Tamboli, Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal, Pune

27. Benazir Kazi, Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal, Solapur

28. Bismilla Sayyed, Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal, Jalana

29. Dilawar Shaikh, Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal, Pune

30. Gulab Attar, Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal, Kolhapur

31. Hasan Ibrahim Pasha, Writer, IMSD, Allahabad

32. Hasina Khan, Bebaak Collective, Mumbai

33. Hilal Ahmed, Scholar and Author, Asst Professor, CSDS, Delhi

34. Iqbal Ahmad, BBC, Delhi

35. Irshad Wadgavkar, Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal, Kolhapur

36. Jamir Momin, Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal, Satara

37. Jamir Shaikh, Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal, Pune

38. Jeibunnisa R, BMMA, Tamil Nadu

39. Jyothi Yedulla, Vice-President, Casteless Society of India, Hyderabad

40. Khadijah Faruqui, Feminist and human rights consultant, Delhi

41. Dr. Lata Pratibha Madhukar, Bahujan Feminist Writer and Critique, Founder of Manomitr

42. Madan Lal Hind, Samajwadi Jan Parishad, Delhi

43. Madhu Bhaduri, Retd. Ambassador, Indian Foreign Service, Delhi 

44. Madhu Bhushan, feminist, social activist, Bangalore

45. Mallika Sarabhai, Classical dancer, activist and actress, Ahmedabad 

46. Mariya Salim, feminist development professional, Delhi

47. Mohammad Waheed, President, Casteless Society of India, Hyderabad

48. (Dr) Mohd Farooque Khan, Associate Professor, Marathwada University, Sambhajinagar

49. Mufid Shaikh, Muslim Satyashodhak, Mandal, Pune

50. Munir Shikalgar Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal, Sangli

51. Muniza Khan, IMSD, CJP, Varanasi

52. (Adv) Nazrana Ahemad, Social activist, academician, Dibrugarh (Assam)

53. Naseeruddin Shah, Actor, Mumbai

54. Nasreen Contractor, Co-convenor, IMSD, Mumbai

55. Nasreen M, BMMA, Karnataka

56. Naureen Sophie Musvee. EC member, Roshni, Chennai

57. Parvin Altaphusen Nabab, Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal, Satara

58. Peehu Pardeshi, PEHEL Foundation, Mumbai 

59. Preeti Oza, Development Professional, Gandhinagar

60. Qaisar Pasha, Homemaker, Allahabad

61. (Prof.) Radha Kumar, renowned academic, former GOI Interlocutor for J&K, Kodaikanal

62. Rajesh Singhi, Social Sector Consultant, Alwar, Rajasthan

63. (Prof) Ram Puniyani, Author, Activist, President, CSSS, Mumbai 

64. Ratna Pathak, Actor, Director, Mumbai

65. SR Darapuri, IPS(Retd), National President, All India Peoples Front, Lucknow

66. Sabah Khan, Parcham, Mumbai/Mumbra

67. Sachendra Pratap Yadav, Activist, Lucknow

68. Salim Momin Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal, Sangli

69. Samina Pathan Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal, Pune

70. Samreen Khan, Socio-political Blogger, Kolkata

71. Sandeep Pandey, General Secretary, Socialist Party of India, Lucknow

72. Sandhya Gokhale - Author and activist, Pune

73. Sayara Mulani Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal, Kolhapur

74. Shabana Dean, IMSD, Pune

75. Shagufta Musvee, President Soroptimist International, EC member, Roshni

76. Shahed Shaikh, Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal, Pune

77. Shaikh Yusuf Baba, Convenor, Duniyadari Social Reform Movement, Hyderabad

78. Shahjahan Patel, Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal, Mumbai

79. Shakun Mohini, feminist, social activist, Bangalore 

80. Shama Zaidi, filmmaker, script writer, Mumbai

81. (Dr) Shaniya Zarina Khan, Dentist, Delhi

82. Shriya Maini, Advocate, Supreme Court, Delhi

83. (Dr) Shujaat Ali Quadri, Convener, Muslim Youth organization of India 

84. Sultan Shahin, Editor-in-chief, New Age Islam (online portal), Delhi

85. (Dr) Suresh Khairnar, Social Activist, Nagpur

86. Suresh Nautiyal, India Green Party (IGP), Garhwal, Uttarakhand

87. Teesta Setalvad, Journalist, activist, educationist, Secretary Citizens for Justice & Peace, IMSD, Mumbai

88. Tushar Gandhi, President, Hum Bharat ke Log, Mumbai

89. Ummid Shaikh Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal, Pune

90. Yash Paranjpe, Writer, Navi Mumbai

91. (Dr) Zaheer A Sayeed, Neurologist, Chennai 

92. Zeenat Shaukat Ali, Islamic Scholar, Director-General, Wisdom Foundation, Mumbai