New Delhi, August 29, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
All India Imam Association president Maulana Sajid Rashidi has faced sharp criticism from political and religious leaders over his reported remarks that implementation of Sharia law in India would stop rape cases, with some calling for legal action against him.
Rashidi has also previously courted controversy by saying that rapes occur because marriages are delayed and suggesting that parents should marry their daughters early to ensure their safety.
Vishva Hindu Parishad spokesperson Vinod Bansal strongly criticised the remarks and said clerics expressing such views should be “ousted from India at the earliest”.
“People with such mentality should not be allowed to stay in India. Such ‘Maulanas’ are poisonous snakes in the name of Islam and should be dealt with according to the law. Strong action should be taken against such a ‘Maulana’ who doesn’t acknowledge India’s Constitution,” Bansal told IANS.
“He could either be in jail or ousted from the country,” he added.
Uttar Pradesh Minister and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party chief Om Prakash Rajbhar also criticised the reported comments, saying those living in India must abide by the Constitution.
“If you want to live in India, you have to abide by the Indian Constitution. If you do not want to live in India and want to follow a new law, then go to Pakistan,” Rajbhar said.
BJP MP Dinesh Sharma said criminal offences must be dealt with under the country’s law and rejected the possibility of Sharia law replacing India’s legal framework.
“Criminals need to be punished according to the law. India will be governed by the Constitution, not Sharia law, and everyone has the freedom to practice their religion here. However, the country will have one criminal law for all,” Sharma said.
He also said people involved in religious matters should not politicise women’s security.
Meanwhile, All India Muslim Jamaat national president Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Bareilvi said implementation of Sharia law was not possible in India.
“India can be neither a Hindu nor an Islamic nation, so implementation of Sharia law is not possible here,” Bareilvi said.
He said India functions according to its democratic system, with people of different faiths having the constitutional right to practise their respective religions.
Referring to Rashidi’s remarks, Bareilvi said demands for Sharia law could prompt counter-demands for a “Hindu state”, potentially creating conflict between communities.
“Such a situation is not in the welfare of a nation,” he said.
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