Don’t politicise triple talaq issue, says PM
Hope women come forward on their own: Modi
I am sure enlightened people will emerge from among Muslims and come forward to end this practice, liberating our Muslim daughters and mothers from the scourge NARENDRA MODI, Prime Minister
Prime Minister NarendraModiurgedMuslimsonSaturday to keep the debate over triple talaq away from politics, saying that he hoped efforts to reform the controversialIslamicpracticewill come from the community.
“I am sure enlightened people will emerge from among Muslims andcomeforwardtoendthispractice,liberatingourMuslimdaughters and mothers from the scourge,”Modisaidatafunctionto celebrate the life of 12th century social reformer and Kannada philosopher Basaveswara.
“Come out and find a solution. That solution will have its own majesty and generations will remember you.”
This is the second time in a fortnight that Modi has reached out to Muslimwomen.InOctobertoo,he criticised triple talaq, saying the practice was destroying Muslim women’s lives.
In his 38-minute speech, Modi called upon India’s Muslims to show the “path of modernity” to Muslimsacrosstheworld.“Thatis the kind of power and energy this land gives to all of us.”
TripletalaqreferstotheIslamic tradition that lets men divorce women by pronouncing talaq thrice. India has separate sets of personal laws for each religion governing marriage, divorce, succession, adoption and maintenance. While much of the Hindu law overhaul began in the 1950s and continues, activists have long argued that Muslim personal law has remained mostly unchanged.
The Modi government has said it wants to replace the triple talaq divorceandotherIslamicpersonal lawswithanewuniformcivilcode applicable to all religious groups.
That proposal has met stiff opposition from Muslim groups, who argue that it would discriminate against them.
But about two dozen Muslim women’s groups have in recent years mounted legal challenges to triple talaq, which they say discriminates against them and violates their human rights.
Afive-judgeconstitutionbench of the Supreme Court will begin hearing daily from May 11 petitions challenging the validity of triple talaq. Modi also used Saturday’s address to reiterate his government’s ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas’ policy, and drew parallels with Basaveswara’s philosophy. “People should get homes, access to power without discrimination. Farmers should get fertilisers and insurance benefits without any distinctions. That is the meaning of our government’s message of ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas’,” he said.