Parliamentarians have failed Muslim women badly on triple talaq, Zakia Soman

New Delhi, Sep 19: On failing to get the triple talaq bill passed in Parliament, the Modi government has taken the route of Ordinance on the issue again. Muslim women as such are not happy with the state of affairs on this matter and the way bill was stalled in the Rajya Sabha.

But women activists are happy and sad both. They are happy that at least the government is concerned and sad because they will have to wait for some more time to get this law passed and uncertainty still prevails. Zakia Soman of Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Aandolan told One India, "There are two things very clear; one there is no doubt about it that we badly need law on triple talaq. In fact this law should have come much earlier that is in 1950 when Parliament was passing other laws including Hindu Marriage Act and many other Laws. Second is that all political parties should have collaborated to bring about a consensus on this issue. The law should have been passed unanimously from the both the houses of Parliament. Moreover, that would have been the shining example of Indian democracy.

Soman said, "Unfortunately that does not look possible now. Actually it is the constitutional mandate of Indian parliamentarians to enable India citizens to get justice. If I say Parliamentarians have failed Muslim women, there is nothing wrong." Ordinance means another question mark and lots of uncertainty because if the Rajya Sabha does not deliberate upon it and does not pass it then it is not a law in its real sense. Ordinance is not a law. Lots of work still remains. It will help Muslim women only till the duration of ordinance.

Another Muslim women right activist who is working against triple talaq and Nikah-Halal in Uttar Pradesh Amber Zaidi said, "There is a need to bring tough and effective law on triple talaq obviously this is in no way a permanent solution to the problem. But at least the government has cleared the doubt among minds of people that was being raised on the very intent of the government on this issue."

She said that the government has made it it clear with this ordinance that they are serious about it. But there is a need for a better solution on triple talaq. The law is necessary for the empowerment and betterment of Muslim women. This is state's responsibility to provide justice to Muslim women. The attempt to politicize the mater is very sad and this was the reason that this law was installed. The bill was not allowed to get passed so the government was forced come out with it but its permanent solution is law on triple talaq.