In whatappears as a move to set up kangaroo courts governed by Sharia law, Telanganagovernment is reportedly contemplating on extending judicial powers to WaqfBoards. Granting legitimacy to Sharia court would invite disaster for thecountry’s judicial system. The Telangana government’s decision to considerlegitimising Sharia courts is fraught with dangerous consequences and mightspell doom for the law and order situation in the country. If authorised, theprecedent set by the Telangana government might be exploited by other stategovernments, who would use it to pass similar orders in their respective statesto garner the support of Muslim fundamentalists. Muslims will openly encroachon lands of Hindus and then fight the case in Sharia courts. Later they willenforce a strict code of Islam on Muslims and non-Muslims living in Muslimmajority areas. It would also provide an opportunity to the mullahs toestablish a more puritanical form of Islam, and conferring them with theauthority of punishing those who are seen infringing it. The mullahs with theiroverzealous penchant for imposing medieval versions of Islam would run amokwith newfound legitimacy, resulting in the total collapse of the judicial orderin the state.
