By Muslim Mirror Special Correspondent
New Delhi: While announcing the month-long nation-wide protest against the controversial Talaq Bill, the Social Democratic Party of India said the BJP-led government is trying to pass the bill by “hook or crook”. It said the bill is “politically-motivated” and flagrantly violates the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution. It also dubbed the bill as BJP’s political gimmick and part of its agenda to polarize the votes.
Addressing a press conference at Press Club of India here, SDPI vice president, Adv. Sharfuddin Ahmad said the Modi government has brought the bill to demonize and defame Islam and Muslims. Calling the talaq (divorce) as the most honorable way of dissolution of marriage, he said the bill makes its “criminal act” and “non-bailable offence, which is in direct contravention of the fundamental rights. He said the SDPI has condemned the bill and launched a protest that would run for the whole month of February. Advocate Sharfuddin alleged that The BJP Government has been trying to curb the religious freedom and rights of different religious communities including Muslims through so called Uniform Civil Code and now trying to present the bill as great reforming force.
He also pointed that the Supreme Court verdict declared uttering ‘talaq’ thrice at once is null and void as it is against the teachings of the Holy Quran. If a person pronounces ‘talaq’ thrice at once, the marriage will not become null and void once and for all according to the SC judgment, then, is it not ridiculous to send a husband to jail on the reason that he has uttered triple talaq?, he asked
Ms, Yasmin Farouqui, Secretary, SDPI, said it is a fiction that it is going to help the “beleaguered” Muslim women. She said the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are not sincere about the Muslim women. She pointed out that the “great champion of Muslim women” Modi himself did not do justice with his wife who has been forced to live lonely life.
She warned if the bill becomes law it would damage the marriage institution because of this reason, Muslim women is up in arms against the bill.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Tasleem Ahmad Rahmani, member, National Working Committee, said it is a ridicules move by the Modi government which wants to polarize the people by using this bill. He said the bill is clearly motivated by the political considerations; otherwise the government would have consulted all the stakeholders before presenting it into the parliament.
The BJP Government introduced and passed this bill in haste in the Lok Sabha on Dec 28 by throwing away all the legislative procedures.
The SDPI announced that it would resist the passage of the bill and run a campaign against the bill throughout the country for whole month of February. It said “the BJP government’s claim of ‘protecting Muslim women’ through this bill is fraudulent. Where was the government when the so called ‘Gau Rakshaks’ lynched the husbands of Muslim women and turned them into widows? Where were the defenders of Muslim Women’s rights when hundreds of women and children were burned alive in communal riots? Where are the protectors of Hindu women when thousands of them are abandoned and forced to beg to feed their children? Where is the government when even their ministers practice polygamy against provisions of Hindu Code?”
The party urged all the citizen of this nation to unite and oppose the hidden agenda of BJP to ‘demonize Muslims’ and to raise the voice and tell the government in no uncertain terms to ‘STOP ASSAULT ON PERSONAL LAWS’.
Mohammad Shafi, and Elyas Muhammad Thumbe, both general Secretaries also addressed the media.