Muslim delegation struggles to find UCC committee chairman's office

Administrative chaos has been observed in the process of seeking suggestions and objections from the public on the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) proposed by the Maharashtra government. According to reports, a delegation of various Muslim organisations reached the 'Old Custom House' in Mumbai to demand an extension of 100 days to the deadline ending on November 15, but they faced severe difficulties there.

The delegation included representatives from All India Sunni Jamaat-e-Ulema, Raza Academy, Jamaat-e-Ulema Ahle Sunnat, Wahdat-e-Islami Hind, and Kul Jamati Wifaq Maharashtra. The group featured Maulana Ejaz Kashmiri, Anjum Ali Bape Saheb, Maulana Azmat Ali Saheb, and Ilyas Momin Saheb from Pune. The primary demand of this delegation is that the final date for submitting opinions and objections on the UCC be extended by 100 days, so that ordinary citizens and various communities get sufficient opportunity to present their views.

Maulana Ejaz Kashmiri stated that the Maharashtra government had provided the address of the chairman of the committee formed for the UCC (a retired judge) as 'Old Custom House, second floor'. Based on this address, the delegation reached there, but despite wandering through different sections of the Old Custom House for an hour and a half, they found no trace of the chairman's office. Kashmiri added that no departmental officer had any information about where the committee chairman sits or where their office is located.

Only a general address like 'Old Custom House, second floor' was provided at the government level, but after reaching the premises, the exact location of the office could not be found. Maulana Ejaz questioned why there is such a lack of basic seriousness in the government and its departments while preparing such an important law. He termed this incident as unnecessary inconvenience caused to the public by the government. Expressing dissatisfaction with the Maharashtra government and responsible officers, he appealed for the government to emerge from this administrative chaos, work according to the principles of justice and humanity, and stop harassing the public.

Ilyas Momin, a representative of Kul Jamati Wifaq Maharashtra, also raised questions about the administrative arrangement. He stated that he had reached the Old Custom House with the delegation according to the address available online. While searching for the chairman's office, they reached room number 107 of the administrative office, where Tehsildar Dr. Mansi Sneha Subhash Marlewar was seated. According to Momin, he tried to meet the administrative officer there to find out the necessary details, but no information was provided to him.

Ilyas Momin further stated that the officer associated with this matter is Assistant Revenue Officer Dhairyashil Suvarna Kedari Jadhav. This officer should have had information about the various offices operating from the premises. The delegation waited there for about half an hour, yet no one informed them about the office or the place where the committee chairman sits.

Meanwhile, Ilyas Momin also claimed that objections and documents have been sent via registered post from many places. During inquiries in various offices within the Old Custom House premises, the delegation learned that postal department employees were also wandering from one place to another to find the office. The postal employees wanted to deposit documents and postal orders received via registered post, but they too had no information about which office is authorised to accept these documents.

Ilyas Momin concluded by saying that from this entire incident, it can be inferred how seriously an important process like the UCC is being taken. He clarified that this series of protests and recording of objections will continue in the future.