Jamiat upset over centre endorsing IAF's 'beard' ban

The Centre's validation of Indian Air Force order that bars Muslims recruited after 2002from sporting the beard has angered Jamiat-e-Ulama that plans a huge demonstration.

Angry over centre's submission in Supreme Court that keeping beard is not compulsory in Islam, Jamiat chief Maulana Arshad Madani has warned the government to mend its ways and stop playing with sentiments of Muslims.

Madani has called a Tahaffuz-e-Shariat conference on February 17. He said that government should have sought the advice of Muslim institutions or eminent Islamic scholars before making its submission on such a sensitive matter in the apex court.

Various Muslim organisations will take part in the grand convention. Corporal Mohammad Zubair has challenged IAF order barring him from keeping beard. The Supreme Court had asked the Centre to clarify its stand on the issue.

The Court had issued a notice to the Centre, asking it why the order should not be stayed. Now centre has justified the order and held that it was to bring greater cohesiveness in a combatant force.

TIH Bureau