Muslim succession law: Activist Suhara to stage indefinite fast in Delhi alleging discrimination

Suhara said that it was unfortunate that the mainstream political parties were not showing interest to address the discrimination in the Muslim personal laws.

Thiruvananthapuram: At the age of 73 known Muslim women rights activist from Kerala V P Suhara will launch an indefinite fast in Delhi from February 23 asking the government to do away with the alleged discriminations towards women in the Muslim succession laws.

"I'm launching indefinite fasting unto death as a last resort. Over these years I had knocked at many doors against this discrimination. But there's no relief even as hundreds of women and children are suffering owing to it," said Suhara, who has been fighting against the discriminations against Muslim women, including triple talaq.

As per the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act daughters are entitled to only two-third of their father's wealth. To overcome this hurdle many couples are even getting remarried under the special marriage act to ensure that their daughters could inherit their wealth.

Suhara, who is the president of Nisa, a progressive Muslim women's forum based in Kerala, said that it was unfortunate that the mainstream political parties were not showing interest to address the discrimination in the Muslim personal laws. Even Islamic countries like Saudi Arabia are taking progressive steps by doing away with discrimination towards women, she said. 

"Many women and their daughters are literally thrown to the streets after the death of their husband as other male members of the family inherit a major chunk of the property. Though the male members who inherit the properties are supposed to protect the women dependents of the deceased, it is hardly done. The issue has to be seen as a human rights violation and not as a religious matter," Suhara urged.

Even as Uniform Civil Code could be a solution to this issue, there are serious apprehensions whether secularism and gender equalities will be protected by it, she said.