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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 8:56:24 pm

‘Save Sharia’ campaign feeds Hindutva politics

Mumbai: Prominent Muslims and others have slammed the All India Muslim Personal Law Board’s ‘Save India, Save Sharia’ nationwide campaign, alleging that it could deepen polarization while willy-nilly supporting the very forces the AIMPLB claims to oppose. Launched on Sep. 17 – coinciding with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 76th birthday – the AIMPLB’s 3-month-long campaign is aimed at mobilizing public opinion around protecting the Constitutional rights, preserving the Muslim Personal Law...

‘Save Sharia’ campaign feeds Hindutva politics

Mumbai: Prominent Muslims and others have slammed the All India Muslim Personal Law Board’s ‘Save India, Save Sharia’ nationwide campaign, alleging that it could deepen polarization while willy-nilly supporting the very forces the AIMPLB claims to oppose. Launched on Sep. 17 – coinciding with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 76th birthday – the AIMPLB’s 3-month-long campaign is aimed at mobilizing public opinion around protecting the Constitutional rights, preserving the Muslim Personal Law within the framework of safeguarding India’s pluralistic and democratic character. The AIMPLB leaders said they are soliciting support of people, intellectuals, activists, social and religious organisations who value justice, democracy, peace and the Constitution, to strengthen constitutional supremacy, the rule of law, justice and equality, religious freedom, social harmony and national unity. Around 100 progressive Muslim and non-Muslim intellectuals, activists, organisations and supporters have warned that what the AIMPLB presents as a defence of constitutional rights, religious freedom and Muslim identity "could deepen divisions, and may provide political ammunition to right-wing forces". The progressive have accused AIMPLB of selectively invoking Art. 25-30 of the Constitution related to Religious Freedom, while ignoring that these rights are explicitly subject to public order, morality, and health. Moreover, they conveniently bypass Articles 14 and 15, which guarantee equality before the law and prohibit sex or religion-based discrimination. “Following the 2024 Lok Sabha elections where civil society and opposition parties rallied under 'Save the Constitution', the AIMPLB's campaign inadvertently gave the Bharatiya Janata Party (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,” said the intellectuals. They pointed out how the so-called ‘God-given Shariat Law’ in India is nothing but man-made personal laws and ‘male interpreted patriarchal interpretations’, defended by the AIMPLB. In its September 2016 Supreme Court affidavit in the Triple Talaq case (Sayara Bano v/s. Union of India), the AIMPLB’s 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 a quick separation option, a husband ‘may resort to illegal, criminal ways of murdering or burning her alive’ - a disturbing rationalization of domestic violence. Claiming these laws are divine, the AIMPLB admitted that “India is a patriarchal society, and therefore personal laws of all communities are aligned with the patriarchal notion...” The progressives countered that Muslim-majority nations globally 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,” said the progressives sharply. They said that 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. While secular political parties rarely support the rights of Muslim women, the BJP and the Hindu Right wing do so with an obvious motive: ‘communal polarization’, said the progressives. “The sangh parivar sheds crocodile tears for Muslim women while ignoring relentless hate speech (Love Jihad, Land Jihad…) and hate crimes like mob lynching, bulldozing homes, demolishing mosques or economic boycotts, with chants of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ to intimidate and strike fear. 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,” they averred. The progressives have sought the active involvement of all enlightened forces, civil society organisations and secular political parties 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. Among the signatories to the appeal are: Naseeruddin Shah, Amol Palekar, Zeenat Shaukat Ali, Anand Patwardhan, Sultan Shaheen, Teesta Setalvad, Ram Puniyani, Tushar Gandhi, Mallika Sarabhai, Ratna Pathak, Feroze Mithiborwala, Anita Cheria, Zakia Soman, Jyothi Yedulla, Noorjehan S. Niaz, Madhu Bhaduri, et al.

Ambernath polls marred by cash-for-votes allegations

Writer: Dr. Abhilash Dawre
Dr. Abhilash Dawre
Dec 20, 2025
4 min read

Ambernath: As polling took place on Saturday for 23 municipal councils and nagar panchayats across Maharashtra, the election to the Ambernath Municipal Council in Thane district drew statewide attention — but for all the wrong reasons. A series of serious incidents reported on the eve of voting raised questions over the transparency and fairness of the entire electoral process, casting a shadow over the civic polls in Ambernath.

 

While voting was underway peacefully in the city, a major controversy erupted late Friday night after allegations surfaced that voters were being bribed with cash. The Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) claimed that its workers caught two individuals red-handed in Ward No. 28 while allegedly distributing money to voters. According to the claim, bundles of currency notes and a receipt bearing the name of BJP candidate Poonam Patil were seized from the accused.

 

Following the incident, the Election Commission’s flying squad rushed to the spot and initiated an inquiry. Sources said that during the investigation, lists containing names of voters from a residential building along with cash were found in possession of the two individuals. Based on these developments, allegations of violation of the Model Code of Conduct were levelled against the BJP.

 

Meanwhile, the Ambernath civic election has turned into a battleground within the ruling Mahayuti alliance itself, with the BJP, Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) and the NCP locked in a war of accusations, further intensifying the political atmosphere.

 

In another significant development, a large gathering of women was found assembled in a hall in the Kohujgaon area. Suspecting that these women were bogus voters, workers from both the Congress and the BJP rushed to the location. The Congress alleged that the women had been brought for bogus voting at the behest of the Shiv Sena (Shinde group). Police are currently investigating where the women came from and who instructed them to assemble at the venue.

 

Tampering With EVMs

Tensions escalated further after the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) alleged tampering with Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). The party claimed that EVM manipulation had taken place at the South Indian School polling booth in Ward No. 5 of Ambernath. Shiv Sena candidate Shailesh Bhoir accused Tushar Telange, brother of a BJP candidate, of involvement in the alleged tampering. Following the allegation, a large number of Shiv Sena workers gathered at the polling centre, leading to a tense situation.

 

With allegations of cash distribution, suspicions of bogus voters and claims of EVM tampering surfacing within a short span, the Ambernath Municipal Council election has become embroiled in controversy. Notably, parties within the ruling alliance itself are accusing one another, creating confusion and mistrust among voters.

 

According to the Election Commission, voter turnout in the Ambernath Municipal Council election was recorded between 55% to 60%.

 

While Speaking to The Perfect Voice, Deputy Commissioner of Police Sachin Gore stated that barring minor disputes, polling in Ambernath was conducted peacefully. He revealed that at around 2 am on Friday night, Ambernath Police Station received information about nearly 200 people arriving from outside and gathering at a particular location. After verifying the information, police registered an offence under the Representation of the People Act against those present at the spot for unlawful assembly without valid reason. Further investigation in the matter is currently underway, DCP Gore said.

 

Raut meets Raj amid alliance talks

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday met Maharashtra Navnirman Sena president Raj Thackeray as the two parties are discussing seat-sharing for the January 15 civic elections in Mumbai.


This was Raut's second visit to ‘Shivtirth’, Raj Thackeray's residence in Dadar, in the last three days.


Elections to 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra are slated to take place on January 15.


On Friday, MNS leader Nitin Sardesai had said that the alliance talks between the two parties, led by cousins Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray, were in final stages, but it was difficult to say when the alliance would be officially announced.


Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anil Parab had met Raj Thackeray on Friday.


BJP-Shiv Sena Tie

The BJP and Shiv Sena are treading cautiously before committing to contest the upcoming elections to the Thane Municipal Corporation in an alliance, with a decision expected in the next two days.


Thane is considered the home turf of Shiv Sena leader and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. A political dispute had erupted recently after some Shiv Sena workers crossed over to the BJP in Thane district.


Senior leaders in both parties will take a final decision on the alliance as well as on a seat-sharing formula, said Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske on Saturday, a day after BJP and Shiv Sena leaders met in Thane to discuss the contours of the electoral contest.


BJP MLA Sanjay Kelkar said the meeting was aimed at directing the Mahayuti's election strategy. It was attended by senior leaders, public representatives, office-bearers, and grassroots workers of both parties.


Kelkar said the leaders expressed determination to contest the elections with a focus on public interest, development, and decisive victory, under the leadership of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Shinde.


Cong Gears Up

Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad on Saturday said the BJP's "religious politics and double standards" would be rejected by the voters of the metropolis who will focus on core civic issues.


Polls to 29 municipal corporations, including Mumbai, will take place on January 15, while votes will be counted on the next day.


"Whenever elections come, the BJP starts playing religious politics," Gaikwad said in a statement.


She said while BJP's Mumbai unit chief Ameet Satam claims NCP's Nawab Malik is unacceptable, the Ajit Pawar-led party's state president Sunil Tatkare holds discussions with senior BJP leader Ashish Shelar.


"The BJP says Nawab Malik is unwanted, yet his (MLA) daughter Sana Malik votes in favour of the BJP government. This clearly exposes the party's double standards," she said.


Gaikwad said the BJP's approach of seeking to remain in power, enjoying its benefits, and resorting to religious politics during elections is evident to the people of Mumbai.


"Mumbaikars will not be misled by this. They will vote on real civic issues such as roads, traffic congestion, clean drinking water and air quality," the Lok Sabha MP added.

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