Muslim women protest triple talaq bill in Mumbai, address memorandum to governor

Members of All India Muslim Personal Law Board (women’s wing) say the bill was proposed without consulting top religious scholars and intellectuals of the community

Demanding the triple talaq bill which suggests a prison term for men who use the custom to divorce their wives be withdrawn, Muslim women protested at Nagpada and Crawford Market on Thursday. They even submitted a memorandum to the police, in which they sought governor’s intervention.

Members of the AIMPLB (women’s wing) protest the triple talaq bill, at Nagpada, on Thursday. (Pratik Chorge/HT)

The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017, has been passed in the Lok Sabha and requires an approval from the Rajya Sabha to be made into a law. The centre is keen on getting the bill passed at the earliest.

The memorandum says the women members of All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), a consultative group, have demanded the paragraph on Muslim women be deleted from the address made to parliament as it ‘hurts the sentiments of the community’ and have asked for an expert committee to modify the bill.

“The bill was proposed without consulting top religious scholars and intellectuals of the community. We thus reject the bill as it goes against the Constitution of India, women’s right and gender justice, and appeal that it be taken back,” said Munisa Abidi, member of women’s wing of AIMPLB.

“Female members of our community have the right to demand talaq, but as per the bill a man will be put behind bars, in case of talaq-e-biddat too. How can the government claim that protecting women’s right, when they are taking away her right here,” said Mahmood Daryabadi, member, AIMPLB.

As per the draft bill, a Muslim man would face imprisonment up to three years and a fine for pronouncing instant triple talaq. Triple talaq has classified as cognisable and non-bailable offence.