The issue of triple talaq has reached its final stage in the Supreme Court. The court on May 11 begin hearing on a batch of petitions challenging the Constitutional validity of the practice that empowers a Muslim man to divorce his wife by uttering ‘talaq’ thrice.
All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), however, has warned the government against amending the law, saying that ‘this is part of essential practice under the religion’.
Asaduddin Owaisi, the Lok Sabha MP from Hyderabad, too feels that the practice should not be abolished or replaced with new set of laws.
The president of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), who also is a member of AIMPLB, in an interview to Times of India added that ‘any Muslim man divorcing his wife without reason must by socially boycottted’.
When specifically asked about his opinion on the matter, he told TOI, “My opinion is the same as that of AIMPLB, which has told Muslims that this is not the way to divorce. When a Muslim marries a woman he pays a mahr (amount). At the time of marriage, let this condition be incorporated that if a Muslim man divorces a Muslim woman by triple talaq then he will have to pay her over and above that. This should apply to anyone who divorces a Muslim woman without any genuine reason.”
“If any Muslim man without having any reason to divorce his wife does it, then the community must socially boycott such elements. Triple talaq is not the best way of divorcing a Muslim woman but talaq happens,” he told TOI.
The leader further accused the government of trying to polarise the issue and termed the entire debate biased.
“Whether it is cow, triple talaq, Uniform Civil Code, anti-Romeo squad, ghar wapsi ¬ they are trying to polarise everything. They have failed in governance. They have not been able to provide jobs,” he said.
“Yes. Why is it that only the Muslim divorce has become an issue? What about Hindu divorce? In the census of 2011, chart C-3 says there are 43.56 lakh Hindu women who outnumber Hindu married men. Now, this is possible either if they can be in bigamous relationships with Hindu men or of course if it can be proved that they are mostly married to non-Hindus. Why is there no debate on this?” he questioned.
While comparing the personal laws of Muslims and Hindus, Owaisi said, “If you follow the Muslim personal law, there are 17 conditions wherein a divorce can be given. Unfortunately, that's not the case in Hindu marriage law, where only seven conditions are given. If any of those 17 conditions are not met then a divorce can happen.”
Owaisi further categorically rejected BJP’s claims of several Muslim nations abolishing triple talaq as it was against humanity.
“Well, this is not right. No, they haven't abolished it,” he said.
The MP also said that Sharia laws can’t be imposed in a secular country like India.
