Owaisi accuses Centre of violating fundamental rights of Muslims over Triple Talaq Ordinance

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Friday lashed at the Centre accusing it of violating the fundamental rights of the Muslims by imposing the Triple Talaq Ordinance. Owaisi asserted that even the Supreme Court in its verdict never said that Triple Talaq is unconstitutional but the ordinance attributes triple talaq as unconstitutional.

The AIMIM chief opposed citing that the ordinance is against the Shariat, Islamic law, and also against the Muslim women as it will do injustice to them.

In his speech in Hyderabad, Owaisi pointed out that as per the law the victimised woman will have to go to the court and provide evidence that she was given triple talaq by her husband. The ordinance will lead to the misuse of the law, he added. He questioned why the Modi government punished the Muslims for three years but the non-Muslims for only a year.

Owaisi said, "Constitution provides for Right to Equality. If this Ordinance will be used against a Muslim man, he'll be given 3-yr jail term. If there is a non-Muslim man for whom there is a different law, he will be given 1-year jail term. Why this discrimination? We are opposing this because this is against our Shariat. We also opposed this because this violates the fundamental rights as laid down in the Constitution. This ordinance is against the Muslim women. This will do injustice to them.

"It has been a year and Supreme Court has given its verdict on triple talaq. Is the PM not reading the judgement? Can't Law Minister read it? Nowhere in its judgement did Supreme Court say that triple talaq is unconstitutional. But you said that in your ordinance," he added.

The Hyderabad MP reiterated that Islam doesn't believe in marriage that lasts forever and there is a contract in the Islamic law.

"We request Modi ji that the government withdraws this law. How can a triple divorce be legal when Section 377 and Section 497 were dismissed. We have the choice to live our life as per the rules of our religion. There is a conspiracy to defame Muslims all over the world. This law will make our women come to the streets. Look at the justice of God, they gave Triple Talaq and got Rafal deal row," said Owaisi.

Owaisi demanded that Muslims should be allowed to practice their religion as the Constitution has given them this right. Referring to Supreme Court judgements on Articles 377 and 497, the MP said Muslims also want to live with freedom to practice their religion. "When homosexuals have been given choice and married men and women also are given freedom to indulge in adultery without the fear of being punished by law, why are Muslims being denied freedom to practice their religion," he asked.

He described the ordinance would lead to high rate of desertion of women by their husbands. He also voiced the apprehension that many Muslim youths would be jailed.

The AIMIM chief reiterated that the ordinance is an attempt by the Modi government to divert people`s attention from Rafale scam, rising prices of petrol and diesel and failure to provide jobs.

Owaisi said if the government was really concerned about the welfare of women, it should make a legislation for 24 lakh women including 22 lakh non-Muslims who were married but abandoned by their husbands.

President Ram Nath Kovind had signed the ordinance making instant triple talaq illegal and void. The offence will attract a jail term of three years for the husband. Seeking to allay fears that the law could be misused, the government also included some safeguards in it, such as providing for bail to the accused.