Women’s wing of AIMPLB hits out at TT ordinance
LUCKNOW: The women’s wing of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) on Friday criticised the triple ‘talaq’ (TT) ordinance promulgated by the Centre and termed it an infringement of shariat (Islamic) laws.
The women members of the AIMPLB held a meeting at Eidgah in Lucknow where they accused the Centre of muzzling their dissent on the issue.
They said by criminalising TT through an ordinance, the Centre had murdered democracy. As part of a strategy, the AIMPLB for the first time has taken a back seat and encouraged its women members to spearhead the ‘save shariat campaign’ to express their views and oppose the ordinance.
Similar meetings and press conferences to drum up support for withdrawal of the ordinance by Muslim women are also being held in Bangalore, Hyderabad and Bhopal.
“We had rejected the TT Bill and lakhs of Muslim women had organised silent protest marches in cities like Hyderabad, Lucknow, Bhopal, Telangana, Mumbai and Malegaon. The law is against the interests of Muslim women,” said Nighat Parveen.
Another member Saba Tabassum, a lecturer, said the least the government could have done before bringing in the law was to consult them (Muslim women) and other stake holders on the issue. “There was no need to bring in the ordinance through the back door,” she said.
Other members Atiya Aziz, Rohila Firdaus, Ameena Rizwan and Huma Abur Rauf said the ordinance was flawed and in no way offered protection to Muslim women’s rights.
“On the contrary, it is going to make life more difficult for the victims in case of a divorce,” they said, pointing out the provisions which criminalise triple talaq.
Condemning the ordinance, Maulana Khalid Rashid Farangi
› We had rejected the triple talaq Bill and lakhs of Muslim women had organised silent protest marches in cities like Hyderabad, Lucknow, Bhopal, Telangana, Mumbai and Malegaon. The law is against the interests of Muslim women NIGHAT PARVEEN, Member AIMPLB’s women’s wing
Mahli, who played host to the women’s wing meeting, said it was an insult to democratic values and religious freedom guaranteed under the Constitution. “Its (ordinance) terms and conditions not only encroach upon the Constitutional guarantees granted to religious minorities but are also against the very essence of the verdict delivered by the Supreme Court on August 22, 2017 in the instant triple divorce matter,” he said.