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Modi urges Indian Muslims to ‘not politicise triple talaq debate’

The legality of the practice is currently under debate in the country’s Supreme Court

News Desk April 29, 2017

Modi urged Muslims to keep an open mind on the matter. PHOTO: AFP/FILE

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged the country’s Muslims not to politicise the matter of triple talaq and to protect women from the effects of the practice.

The legality of the practice – wherein a man can divorce his wife by saying talaq three times - is currently under debate in the country’s Supreme Court.

Speaking at an event to mark the birth anniversary of 12th century social reformer Basava in New Dehli on Saturday, Modi said, “Reformers from the Muslim community itself will come forward to fight what our Muslim daughters have to go through (in the name of triple talaq). They will find a way out.”

India's Muslim women say justification for triple talaq, polygamy is medieval

He urged Muslims to keep an open mind on the matter. “I also request the Muslim community, don't look at this issue through a political lens, don't let it go that route,” Modi said.

The Indian PM has raised the issue several times recently. At a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) executive meeting earlier this month, Modi said people should be made aware of and urged to take action against social evils.

According to a BJP member who was at the meeting, the PM had said that injustice should not be done to Muslim women and no one should be exploited in this way.

At the moment, the Supreme Court of India is hearing a case of a batch of petitions, including one from the Centre, regarding whether divorce obtained by saying talaq three times is actually legal under the Constitution or impinges on equal rights for women. It is also hearing arguments on whether the freedom to practice religion - via the Muslim Personal Law for Islam - takes precedence over other basic freedoms.

India’s Modi says 'triple talaq' divorce unjust

The central government is arguing that triple talaq is against women’s rights.

The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), a non-government organisation that works to promote its namesake law, has recently said the triple talaq practice isn’t allowed “without valid reasons”.

“Those who give triple talaq without reasons prescribed by sharia will face social boycott,” said the AIMLPB earlier this month.

A five-judge Supreme Court bench would rule on the practice’s constitutional validity. May 11 to May 19 has been set as the timeline to conclude hearings.

This article originally appeared on Times of India

COMMENTS (2)

Bunny Rabbit | 7 years ago | Reply He is supposed to utter those words consciously without any ulterior motives / with genuine reason with only his soul as witness. . even hindu marriage is legitimate with sacred fire as witness . where are those days gone . today people lie through their teeth for their selfish motives.

Raj - USA | 7 years ago | Reply Congress is extremely worried. They see it as Modi's strategy to win muslim votes because all muslim women voters will support him and vote for him in the next elections. If this works, Modi may get as much as 80% of muslim votes, because he already has significant support from muslim males also. So, in the next elections, Modi may get >80% of the total votes throughout India and also majority of muslim votes in Kashmir too. Congress and all other political parties have remained silent on this issue of triple talaq and only BJP has been supporting openly on the ban on triple talaq. In West Bengal and Kerala also BJP will sweep in the next elections. Good for India and good for muslims of India.

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