Muslim women celebrating Supreme Court’s verdict on triple talaq. (Express photo by Vishal)
With the Supreme Court holding triple talaq invalid and ordering legislation through Parliament on it, the BJP on Tuesday said the practice has already been declared illegal so there is no need for the government to make a law for it. “It’s a historic decision. The prime minister and our government have been sensitive to Muslim women’s concerns. The government has, through a number of affidavits, have taken their side,” BJP national spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said.
“It’s illegal now. It was a big battle. There is no need for a legislation. That has always been illegal and the Supreme Court has declared it illegal,” he added. Hussain also accused the opposition Congress for “ignoring the pain” of Muslim women so far.
During the run up to the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, the BJP had highlighted the issue of tripple talaq which its leaders said had made many Muslim women softened their opposition to the BJP. It’s leaders had said many Muslim women had voted for the party candidates in their respective constituencies due to the party’s move to take up the miseries of women belonging to the minority community.
In a landmark verdict, the Supreme Court put the curtains down on a 1,400 year old practice of ‘triple talaq’ among Muslims and set it aside on several grounds including that it was against the basic tenets of the Holy Quran and violated the Islamic law Shariat.
A five-judge Constitution bench, by a majority of 3:2 in which the Chief Justice J S Khehar was in minority, said in a one line order: “In view of the different opinions recorded by a majority of 3:2, the practice of ‘talaq-e-biddat’ – triple talaq is set aside.”
