A debate in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly over issues affecting Muslim women has snowballed into a political controversy, with ruling NCP MLA Sana Malik facing criticism from BJP and Shiv Sena leaders over her comments on polygamy and references made during the discussion.
The controversy stems from a debate held on Tuesday on atrocities faced by Muslim women due to the triple talaq practise. During the exchange, Malik seemed to suggest that India would welcome the practice, as she spoke about how it is implemented in Pakistan.
However, she later said that a BJP MLA mentioned Pakistan during the discussion and she was only objecting to it.
Malik says her comments were misunderstood
Responding to the criticism on Thursday, Malik said she was neither defending nor promoting polygamy and that her intervention in the House was being interpreted incorrectly, news agency PTI reported.
"I am not even defending or supporting polygamy. I was informing the House about the ways of polygamy. However, BJP MLA Devayani Farande brought up the issue citing references to Pakistan, to which I objected," Malik told reporters on Thursday.
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{{/usCountry}}She argued that discussions on laws and practices in India should not be based on examples from Pakistan.
"Why should we use a practice in Pakistan as a reference point to decide something here in India? Pakistan's laws are based on Quran. If any reference is needed, it can be taken from the holy book Quran. Bharat's Constitution has given us ways of life and living life. The Constitution has even given us the right to follow our religion," she said.
Debate over polygamy and religion
Clarifying her position further, Malik said her remarks were intended to highlight that polygamy was not an issue limited to one community.
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"My question was whether only Muslim men indulge in polygamy. Is it not true that other men also indulge in it?" she asked.
She also maintained that women's issues should not be viewed through a religious lens.
The MLA further said that she had objected to what she described as praise for Pakistan during the Assembly debate.
"People are asking me to go to Pakistan, but the first person who named that country was a BJP MLA," she said.
"I am a daughter of Maharashtra, and just because someone asks me to go to Pakistan, I will not go," she added.
How the controversy began
During a discussion, BJP MLA Devayani Farande had referred to Pakistan while speaking about polygamy. According to Farande, the practice is followed by barely one per cent of men in Pakistan and requires permission from an authority before a second marriage.
In response, Malik had said, "If anything is mentioned in Quran and if it is implemented in Pakistan then we demand that this shall be brought here too."
The remark quickly sparked criticism from leaders across the ruling alliance.
BJP and Shiv Sena leaders react
Despite belonging to the NCP faction part of the NDA alliance, Sana Malik's remarks were criticised by leaders from its allies - Shiv Sena and CJP.
Shiv Sena leader Shaina NC accused Malik of engaging in vote-bank politics and questioned the message her comments sent to women. "On the one hand, you have Prime Minister Narendra Modi who has given Muslim women respect through the triple talaq (legislation), and here you have Sana Malik making this controversial statement on polygamy."
"Such remarks show you that you are only pandering to vote bank politics. I would request Sana ji to please consider what she has said because this disrespects the women of India," she said.
BJP MLA Manisha Chaudhary also criticised Malik's remarks and stressed that the Constitution remains the guiding framework of the country.
"India is governed by the Constitution and not the Quran. If one wants to live in India, one must follow the Constitution," she said.
(With inputs from PTI)