Several Muslim organisations in Kerala have expressed concern over central government’s decision to take a stand against triple talaq at the Supreme Court, calling it an attempt to impose a uniform civil code.

Indian Union of Muslim League (IUML) state president Panakkad Syed Hyder Ali Shihab Thangal has said that the uniform civil code is not the biggest issue the country faces now.  “The prime concern of the government should be to eradicate poverty, illiteracy and unemployment,” he said in an affidavit filed in Supreme Court, The Times of India reports.

“The criminal code was unified to safeguard social justice, wherein all religions agreed for a compromise to become part of a democratic-secular society,” he added.

Kerala Sunni leader Kanthapuram AP Aboobacker Musaliyar has also spoken out against the uniform civil code. He said that a memorandum signed by one crore people has been submitted to the President demanding the removal of Section 44 (calling for a common civil code) from the Directive Principles.

“People of various religions have been living in India as per their beliefs for the past 70 years. Unity in diversity was the slogan we upheld. The new move to bring in uniform civil code will create divisions and the government should abandon it,” he told ToI.

Kottumala TM Bappu Musaliar, secretary of the Samastha Kerala Jam-Iyyathul Ulema also condemned the move and said that the constitution of India guarantees freedom of faith. He also said that instead of dealing with the real issues of the country, the government is needling such sensitive issues.

“Each section of the society following its faith is what constitutes secularism. Quran and Hadees are the source of Islamic laws and any legislation ignoring them will not be acceptable to Muslims,” he told ToI.

Many other organisations like Nadavuthul Mujahudeen have also expressed their concern by alleging that this move is a fascist agenda of the government.