A day after the Lok Sabha passed the contentious bill on instant triple talaq , the development was hailed by several Muslim women involved in the judicial war against the practice, with a rider that the government should have also banned polygamy.
The women, including those who waged the war against the practice in the Supreme Court, said with the passing of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill in the lower House, “a new beginning has been made” and it will prove to be a deterrent for the husbands from saying talaq-e-biddat to their wives.
They said the new law should have also banned the practice of polygamy among Muslim men which, they said, was “worse than triple talaq.”
The women, advocate Farah Faiz, Rizwana, Razia, who were associated in the fight against triple talaq and polygamy in the apex court, expressed satisfaction that at least “a start” has been made by the present NDA dispensation.
The same opportunity had come in 1985 when the Shah Bano case happened, but was lost by the then Central government, they claimed.
“A new beginning has been made, which would protect Muslim women from the immoral practice of nikah halala,” said Ms. Faiz, whose view was shared by Ms. Rizwana and Ms. Razia with a slight variance.
‘Nikah halala’ is a practice intended to curb incidence of divorce. Under this, a man cannot remarry his former wife without her having to go through the process of marrying someone else, consummating it, getting divorced, observing the separation period called ‘Iddat’ and then coming back to him.
Ms. Rizwana and Ms. Razia were of the view that the government should have dealt with the issue of polygamy by banning it in the same Bill.
“I welcome the move but now men will take undue advantage of the law and indulge in polygamy openly as it is still in practice. With polygamy still in practice, abolition of triple talaq alone won’t help us,” said 33-year-old Rizwana, a victim of polygamy.
Ms. Razia, 24, whose husband divorced her over phone citing birth of daughters, hailed the law brought by the government and hoped that women like her would get justice.
Married at the age of 16, Ms. Razia said: “I was given triple talaq by my husband on the phone as he did not want to bring up our two daughters. Triple talaq is a crime and has spoilt many lives. I pray that all women like me get justice with this new law.”
Advocate Chandra Rajan, who had represented All India Muslim Women Personal Law Board (AIMWPLB), also hailed the legislation.
“If this new law is implemented in true spirit then it will go a long way and prove to be a deterrent for the husbands from saying ‘talaq-e-biddat’ to their wives,” she said.
