Talking about the rights of Muslim women, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that the issue of Triple Talaq should not be politicised.
Modi said, “It is the responsibility of the government and the people of the country to give justice to Muslim women under the Constitution.”
“Is it fair for a man to say ‘talaaq’ thrice over the phone and a Muslim woman’s life to be ruined? This issue shouldn’t be politicised,” said PM Modi at a rally in Mahoba (Uttar Pradesh).
Modi hit out at “some parties” who wanted to keep Muslim women bereft of natural rights for “vote-bank politics” – a possible reference to opposition parties that have countered the government’s move to seek public opinion on banning triple talaq.
“I request people who participate in TV debates, don’t make women rights into Muslim-Hindu issue. Women’s right is a development issue,” Modi said.
“Please don’t make triple talaaq a political matter, let’s take proper measures to give equal rights to women as well.”
“My government has taken a number of steps (to stop this practice). Daughters, mothers, sisters should be protected. One should not consider religion. Mothers and sisters should be respected. We have raised the issue firmly,” said PM Modi.
Modi’s comments come weeks after the law commission circulated a questionnaire asking for comments on banning practices such as triple talaq and drafting of a uniform civil code, amid growing calls by women to outlaw codes that are gender discriminatory.
The influential All India Muslim Personal Law Board has criticized this move and accused the government of stoking an “internal war” but the Centre has rebuffed the charge, saying its only concern was gender justice.
In a rally, attacking on the alternate ruling the UP, SP-BSP Modi said, “The Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party both loot in their own turns, and when the other comes to power they never take action against the other. SP-BSP-BSP-SP. The power keeps shifting, and in this game, this land never reached its potential. You have faced enough. If you want to escape this trap then you need to get out of this trap of Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party. Let’s break the cycle of SP-BSP and choose instead to make Uttar Pradesh an “Uttam Pradesh”,” Prime Minister Modi said.
