AIMPLB women members arrange meet on triple talaq

At a time when muslim scholars and human rights activists are debating on triple talaq and its socio-political implications, the women members of All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) arranged for a freewheeling discussion on the matter in the state capital on Sunday. The meet, attended by more than 20,000 women from all walks of life, deliberated on the tradition and the problems that come with it.

Shayara Bano, a 38-year-old woman from Uttarakhand, stirred the hornet’s nest in February 2016 when she approached the Supreme Court to seek a ban on triple talaq. Following that, manyMuslimwomencameoutin support of Bano, seeking a ban on the practice.

The Supreme Court has set May 11-19 as the deadline to conclude hearings in the case.

Asma Zohra, the chief organizer of the women’s wing of AIMPLB, said triple talaq is an over-hyped non-issue. “There is absolutely no mention of triple talaq in the first 38 pages of the report of Sachchar committee (a report on the socio economic conditions of Muslims in India). There are other far more pressing issues that we need to deliberate on,” she said, adding that the whole issue was a conspiracy to malign Muslims and weaken their social structure.

Another member of the AIMPLB and family court counselor, Yasmin Farooqui, was of the view that triple talaq allowed for a graceful exit from a marriage. “Among other religious communities, divorce happens only when the decision is mutual. Men often indulge in character assassination of their wife to get easy divorce. Triple talaq doesn’t let that happen,” said Farooqui.

“The women questioning the shariat are not more than 5-10 in numberwhile20,000womenhave come here today advocating for shariat,” she added.

Disagreeing with her, doctor Shweta Sharma asked why the right to divorce was conferred only to men. “Both men and women should be allowed to end the marriage at their discretion.”

Although most of the invitees argued in favour of the abrogation of triple talaq, there were some who suggested that a middle path could be the solution.

Radhika Sharma, a social activist who works for education in the state, said that there were many malpractices among Hindus as well but they were gradually done away with.”Why can’t the triple talaq be done away with the same way?” she asks.

Radhika Sharma, a social actvist working for women empowerment, said whatever be the origin of the practice, it lets Muslim men divorce their wives instantaneously and at times over petty issues. “We must try to fine tune triple talaq to empower women and give them equal rights in matters of marriage,” she said.