Triple talaq ordinance against Muslim women: Owaisi

All India Majlis e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) President and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi here on Wednesday said an ordinance on triple talaq by the Modi government is against Muslim women.

“It will do more injustice to Muslim women. Men will perpetrate more injustice to women with the help of this ordinance,” he told reporters here at the AIMIM party headquarters in Darussalam.

“We (Majlis) have been repeatedly saying that marriage in Islam is a civil contract and bringing a penal component into this issue is the most inappropriate thing to do. For instance, if a case is booked against the husband then who will stand for the welfare of the woman as the burden of proof will fall on her,” Owaisi said

He furthered argued that as per the ordinance if the husband goes to jail, who will pay the allowance to the innocent wife. “Even if he goes to jail, the marriage will remain intact till he returns. Which means that the victim will have to stay in this marriage, with the perpetrator,” he said.

The ordinance is against the Fundamental Right of Equality enshrined in the Indian constitution. Because it is tailor-made specifically against Islam. The SC in its judgment never said that a penal provision was to be enacted. "If marriage is not dissolved then why the man has to be punished then?" he asked.

“This law is against fundamental rights and is against the constitution. I request Muslim Personal Law Board and other women organisations that they must challenge this ordinance in the Supreme Court,” Owaisi said.

He opined that the ordinance will not stand the test of law. “Basically Modi wants to trouble Muslims, there is no question of justice here. And nothing is going to alter the ground reality,” Owaisi said.

He alleged that the ordinance is nothing but diversion tactics of the Modi government. “Fuel prices are skyrocketing, the economy of the country is in doldrums, these are the real issues plaguing the country,” he said.