Muslim women stage silent protest seeking rollback of ‘Triple Talaq Bill’

Thousands of hijab-clad Muslim women converged at Azad Maidan to seek immediate roll back of triple talaq bill which has been passed by Lok Sabha last December and waiting for Rajya Sabha assent.

The silent protest was called in by the women wing of All Indian Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) and the Muslim women at Azad Maidan were seen carrying placards loudly proclaiming their demands with slogans opposing the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017, and expressing their support to protect the Shariah.

The president of women wing of AIMPLB Asma Zehra said, “Our demand is very clear. Take back the Triple Talaq Bill. It is antiwomen, anti-gender justice, anti-children, will destroy families, push Muslim husbands into jail and damage the Muslim society. The Triple Talaq Bill is an attempt to interfere with the personal laws which we cannot accept. The protest is also aimed at the handful of women who distributed sweets after the government passed the Bill hurriedly in the Lok Sabha.”

The protestors believed that the Bill is legally defective, puts women in legal-social complications, focuses on jailing Muslim men without helping women in any manner and has been opposed legal experts, women’s rights groups and Muslim women across India.

“Triple Talaq Bill not only criminalises Talaq, but moves a step towards the Uniform Civil Code which the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh seeks to impose,” one of the protesting women at Azad Maidan.

Eventually, a delegation of women leaders met Governor CV Rao and submitted a memorandum to be forwarded to the President, Prime Minister and others at the centre.