‘Enlightened’ Muslims will lead fight against triple talaq, says Modi

(“There is a debate about triple talaq. Looking at the great traditions of our nation, a hope is rising within me... that powerful people will emerge from within the community who will break the traditions, demolish them and develop a modern system... Enlightened people from within the Muslim community will emerge and come forward to fight against all that Muslim daughters have to undergo... They will find a way out.”)

“Aur Hindustan ke hi prabuddh Musalman niklenge jo duniya ke Musalmanon ko raasta dikhane ki taaqat rakhte hain. Is dharti ki yeh taaqat hain... Ye Bharat ki mitti ki taqat hai ki teen talaq ke sankat se gujar rahi hamari maataon, behenon ko bachane ke liye usi samaj se log aayenge,” he said.

(“India’s enlightened Muslims will show the way to the rest of the community across the world. This is the strength of the soil of India... that people from within the community will come out to save our mothers and sisters who have to suffer triple talaq.”)

“Aur main Musalman samaj ke logon se bhi aagrah karunga ki is masle ko rajniti ke daayre me mat jaane dijiye. Aap aage aaiye, samasya ka samdahan kijiye (I appeal to the Muslim community not to let the issue slip into the realm of politics. Come out and find a solution),” he said.

While his government’s stand against triple talaq has been criticised by prominent Muslim bodies, Modi sought to draw a parallel with Raja Ram Mohan Roy’s fight against social evils. “Society criticised him when he talked of widow re-marriage. But he remained firm... and got it done,” he said.

“People should get homes and access to power without discrimination. Farmers should get fertilisers and insurance benefits without any distinction. That is the meaning of our government’s message of ‘sabka saath, sabka vikas’,” said Modi.

He also released a digital volume of Basaveshwara’s works, titled Vachan ,in23 languages.

Modi later walked up to the audience to meet the family of Kannada scholar and rationalist M M Kalburgi, who was killed in Karnataka last year.