Lucknow: The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) on Sunday rejected the Supreme Court’s suggestion for an out-of-court settlement of the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute and said that only a verdict by the apex court will be acceptable to it.

“No out-of-court settlement is acceptable to us,” AIMPLB General Secretary Maulana Wali Rehmani told reporters after a two-day meeting of the board executive. A resolution passed by the board executive also said that “on the Babri Masjid issue, the board would only accept a decision by the Supreme Court”, making it clear that the AIMPLB is not willing to accept the Supreme Court’s suggestion.

The board also dug its heels on the contentious issue of triple talaq asserting that Muslims have the “constitutional” right to follow their personal law. Rehmani said that the board has decided to issue a code of conduct and that those who give talaq (divorce) without ‘Sharia’ (Islamic law) reasons will face social boycott.

“A code of conduct for talaq is being issued. With its help, the real picture of Sharia directives will be brought out on the talaq issue. If talaq is given without Sharia reasons, those involved will be socially boycotted,” he said. The board will issue appeals to maulanas and imams of masjids to read out the code of conduct during Friday ‘namaz’ and emphasise on its implementation, he said.

The board has made it clear that it will not tolerate interference in the Shariat laws, Rehmani said, claiming that a majority of the Muslims in the country do not want any change in their personal law. He had earlier said that in a recent signature campaign initiated by the AIMPLB across the country, men as well as women had said that the Constitution of India guarantees them the right to practice their religion.