Muslim Personal Law Board asks Muslim intellectuals not to participate in debates on TV channels
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) on Friday appealed to all Islamic scholars and intellectuals not to participate in televised debates whose sole purpose is to mock and insult Islam and Muslims.
This appeal has been made amid protests in different parts of the country against the remarks made by suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma on Prophet Mohammad.
The AIMPLB statement said that instead of serving Islam, Muslims themselves cause themselves to be humiliated by participating in such debates.
“The purpose of these programs is not to reach any conclusion through constructive dialogue, but to ridicule and demean Islam and Muslims,” the statement said.
'The purpose of these programs is not to reach any conclusion thru constructive discussion, but to ridicule & defame Islam & Muslims. If we boycott these TV channels debates, it will not only reduce their TRP but they'll also fail miserably in their objective.' #BoycottGodiMedia pic.twitter.com/R92Xv9SOSl
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) June 10, 2022
“These TV channels need Muslim faces in their debates to gain some credibility… If we boycott such programs and TV channels, it will not only work for their TRPs,” the statement added. Rather, they will fail to achieve their objective through these debates.
AIMPLB spokesperson Dr. SQR Ilyas said, “There are some TV channels which are not organizing such debates to truly understand an issue or reach any conclusion. They (debates) are being conducted only to polarize the society on communal lines. They often demean a particular community, religion and particular personality, as in Nupur Sharma’s debate.
He further said, ‘By insulting the Prophet, he had targeted not only Indian Muslims, but Muslims around the world. Therefore the reaction of the international community was inevitable and it has tarnished India’s image at the international level. We believe that they (TV channels and these debates) are being given legitimacy by participating in such discussions, which we will not do now.
Ilyas said that the board has already commented on the Nupur Sharma controversy and said that merely a suspension by the BJP is not enough action.
Ilyas said, “The people of the party (BJP) who have been responsible, there should be legal action against them. But legal action is being taken against those who are opposing his remarks, no legal action is being taken against those who made these objectionable remarks. We have also raised the question as to why there has been no response from the Prime Minister or the Home Minister regarding this issue. Why are they silent?’
