Activists denounce govt's decision to make triple talaq penal offence, call it 'politicised move'

Some women activists have condemned the government's decision to make instant triple talaq a penal offense, calling it a "politicised move" without taking into consideration the complications it could pose to Muslim women.

Some women activists have condemned the government's decision to make instant triple talaq a penal offense, calling it a "politicised move" without taking into consideration the complications it could pose to Muslim women.

The Union cabinet has cleared an ordinance to make the practice of instant triple talaq a penal offense, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said Wednesday, citing compelling necessity for the move as the practice annulled by the Supreme Court continues unabated.

Kavita Krishnan, activist and Secretary of the All India Progressive Women's Association (AIPWA), questioned, "Why only Muslim men are getting punished for abandoning their wives, why not Hindu men?"

"Triple talaq is not an official divorce, it is a form of abandonment. Does a Hindu man gets imprisoned for abandoning his wife? We do not agree with the government's decision to make it a criminal offense," Krishnan told PTI over the phone.

Annie Raja, National Federation of Indian Women's general secretary, said she doubts the "intention and sincerity" of the government in introducing an ordinance to make the practice of instant triple talaq a penal offense.

"There needs to be a comprehensive law. There are many issues related to triple talaq that need to be dealt with. But the government has taken this step for political gains in the upcoming elections. There are issues related to maintenance of women and children after her husband goes to jail, no one is talking about them," she said.

"If the government is so concerned about the welfare of women why is it keeping mum on women reservation bill. That would empower them too, why no word on that?" she added.

Shabnam Hashmi, a women rights activist, said criminalizing triple talaq intends to polarise people.

"It was banned by the Supreme Court, criminalizing it would polarise people ahead of the general elections," Hashmi said.

General secretary of All India Democratic Women's Association, Mariam Dhawale, said the move would create most problems for Muslim women only.

"It would leave them (Muslim women) nowhere. What about property rights of the women and her children after triple talaq, there needs to be clarity on that," Dhawale said.

Shamina Shafiq, a women rights activist, termed the government's move "a complete eyewash".

"The move would harm Muslim women. The government should also have a provision of giving compensation to the women when the husband is put in jail," Shafiq said.

Claiming that Muslim women were not consulted before taking the decision, she said, "All the Muslim women I met vehemently opposed criminalizing triple talaq."

Another activist Vani Subramanian said there is no need to criminalize instant triple talaq.

"It cannot be a criminal offense. Such a law will break down marriage. Triple talaq must go but so should halala and female genital mutilation. There will be many implications related to it. No women's groups have sought it," she said, adding, "It is a rushed ordinance which aims to target Muslim men."

Nikah Halala is a practice under which a divorced couple cannot remarry until the woman marries another man, consummates her marriage with him and gets divorced.

The Union Cabinet approved Wednesday an ordinance to ban the practice of instant triple talaq, with Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad saying there was a "compelling necessity" to bring the measure as instances of 'talaq-e-biddat' continued unabated despite the Supreme Court striking it down.

Under the ordinance, giving instant triple talaq will be illegal and void and will attract a jail term of three years for the husband.

Describing the practice of triple talaq as "barbaric and inhuman", Prasad Wednesday said nearly 22 countries have regulated triple talaq but gender justice was given a complete go-by in a secular country like India because of blatant vote bank politics.