Prime Minister Narendra Modi must get some crucial historical facts on our social reforms right. While urging Muslims not to politicise the issue of triple talaq at a function organised in honour of philosopher Basaveshara, a deeper reading of his drawing a parallel with other social campaigns shows that he has not done his research well. While the Prime Minister speaks eloquently against triple talaq, he remains mum on child marriage prevalent in some parts of the country, the practice of dowry, the presence of extra-legal institutions such as khap panchayats, and “honour killings”.
It is obvious he does not want to offend the majority Hindu community as the political cost would be huge. Viewed from this perspective, his repeated critical reference to triple talaq cannot be divorced from politics (“Don’t politicise triple talaq, find a solution, Modi tells Muslims”, April 30).
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S.K. Choudhury,
Bengaluru
Any rational person would agree that the practice of triple talaq needs to be abolished because of the way it results in the abuse of women. Most people in the country want triple talaq to end. People do not want any discrimination on the basis of any religious faith against women. Divorce laws in India are such that there are cases of harassment of women by men by not granting them a divorce. Does triple talaq offer any mechanism, as courts do, to review the intent to separate? The only civilised way out of this is to establish a uniform civil code to ensure that every man and woman is treated equally, as promised by the Constitution.
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Vinod C. Dixit,
Ahmedabad
In the midst of Muslim women raising a banner of revolt against the continuance of the archaic practice of triple talaq and certain Muslim organisations opposing it tooth and nail, the Prime Minister’s appeal to liberal voices in the community to help Muslim women in their fight against injustice, and, at the same time, enlighten clerics to see reason to end this obnoxious practice which has ruined innumerable Muslim women for no fault of theirs is just and reasonable. The fact is that there is merit in the appeal and progressive forces within the community should not shy away from extending whole-hearted support to their sisters and daughters in this hour of need.
K.R. Srinivasan,
Secundèrabad
Mr. Modi’s appeal is just considering that Muslim women can find themselves cut off from family after the utterance of just three words, often without any basis and reason. Though the Muslim Personal Law Board is against the involvement of government and the judiciary in this, is it not the duty and responsibility of the board to ensure justice for Muslim women who are left helpless and defenceless while listening to the three words? Why this inhuman treatment of women in the name of religion and personal law? Women are also humans as far as rights are concerned.
J.P. Reddy,
Nalgonda, Telangana
One is forced to ask this question: who is politicising this issue which is a sensitive matter concerning Islamic jurisprudence, the Sharia? It is none other than the BJP and right-wing organisations.
Mr. Modi seems to have now joined the chorus with gusto.
It is strange that he is tight-lipped on the issue of the lynching of Muslim cattle traders and vigilantism in the name of cow protection. I hope all this is not in aid of using another communally polarising issue and vote-catching technique in the forthcoming Assembly electoral campaigns.
Shahabuddin Nadeem,
Bengaluru