LUCKNOW, India: The All-India Shia Ulema Conference on Monday November 26, laid stress on effectively countering the Zionist drive against Shiism. The Ulema (clerics) said a large numbers of anti-Shia Internet sites had come up, which were creating problems.

The Ulema elected Maulana Ali Taqvi as president, Kalbe Jawad as general secretary, and Mahmoodul Hasan, Dr Kalbe Sadiq and Suhail Afindi as patrons of the conference.

In order to avoid a tussle, Kalbe Jawad asked the participating Ulema to quietly select their state representatives. Tanvir Hussain said malicious propaganda had been launched on Internet by Zionist forces against Shia Islam. He said some forces were also active in Mumbai against the community.

"Ulema should come forward to counter these forces," he said and added that media should also be involved in it.

They also laid stress on reformation of clerics to send the right message to the community.

Aqil Raza (Karnataka) expressed concern over massive infighting among clerics. He said educational standard of large numbers of Ulema was not up to the mark and even unauthorised people were issuing fatwas (edicts). Wasi Hasan Khan (Faizabad) asked them to shun tussles in public.

While Syed Jawad Haider (Allahabad) said some clerics were misusing the pulpit, Athar Abbas (Kolkata) said, "Some unauthorised people have captured it." They should be exposed, he said.