In a rare show of convergence, the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Congress and the Left parties welcomed the Supreme Court judgment on instant talaq and termed it a step towards gender justice and empowerment of Muslim women.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the judgement as “historic,” one that would empower women. “Judgment of the Hon’ble SC on Triple Talaq is historic. It grants equality to Muslim women and is a powerful measure for women empowerment,” he said.
‘An aberration’
Welcoming the verdict, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi said, “I congratulate the women who fought for it.” At the regular briefing of the Congress, the party’s communication chief Randeep Surjewala called triple talaq an “aberration and adulteration” of the provision of talaq as mentioned in the Holy Koran.
Cross-party support for SC verdict
Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the judgment would now bring into effect much-needed reforms that many Muslim-majority countries had already undertaken. “We need to understand that as many as 22 countries either regulated, or abolished or laid down strict pre-conditions for its [triple talaq’s] exercise. India being a secular country was insulated from these changes which occurred even in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh,” said Mr. Prasad.
Former Law Minister Kapil Sibal, who argued on behalf of the AIMPLB, said, “I welcome the judgment as it protects the personal law of all communities and deprecates the instant triple talaq.”
BJP president Amit Shah said: “I welcome the historic verdict of the Supreme Court today on triple talaq. This judgment is not a defeat or victory for anyone. This is the victory of right to equality and the fundamental constitutional rights for Muslim women. Triple lalaq law does not exist in several Muslim countries also. The apex court has given crores of Muslim women the right to live with self-respect, equality and dignity by declaring the triple talaq unconstitutional. I welcome this decision in favour of the women victims who were fighting for their rights and I also compliment them for their struggle to be treated as equal. I am thankful of PM Narendra Modi and the Government of India for reasonably and justifiably putting Muslim women's views in the SC.”
‘Positive impact’
Calling it a positive impact on the struggles of women, CPI(M) politburo member Brinda Karat said, “I welcome the judgment, a victory of women of one section will certainly have a positive impact on struggles of women everywhere. I find the reactions of ruling party amusing and unwarranted, the SC ruling is on specific issue of talaq-e-biddat or instant triple talaq. The SC not only rejected but didn’t take any cognisance of arguments of A-G to expand it to uniform civil code.”
Though Ms. Karat accused the BJP of trying to “place the current verdict alongside its demand for a uniform civil code,” government sources denied any such move.
BSP chief Mayawati also welcomed the judgment and said it was in the interest of Muslim women.
