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Muslim bodies lock horns with law panel on triple talaq

Bodies representing the Muslim Ulema have decided to oppose the Law Commission’s questionnaire on Uniform Civil Code. The All Indian Muslim Personal Law Board and various other outfits on Thursday announced their boycott of the law panel’s move and accused the government of waging a ‘war’ against the community.

Addressing a press conference here, they contended that Uniform Civil Code (UCC), if implemented, will paint all people in “one colour” which will threaten the country’s pluralism and diversity. They trashed government’s stand on the issue of triple talaq, the outfits instead claimed the community has reported the lesser number of divorce cases vis-a-vis other communities, especially the Hindus which, they said, has reported higher divorce ratio according to Census 2011.

Meanwhile, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad reacting to unease within a section of Muslim religious bodies over government’s affidavit opposing triple talaq has said that several Islamic countries have already regulated their matrimonial laws and the practice of triple talaq violates fundamental rights of women as enshrined in the Constitution.

However, AIMPLB general secretary Wali Rehmani, Jamiat-Ulema-e-Hind president Maulana Arshad Madani and representatives of other bodies on Thursday said all the Muslim sects and its women were ‘one’ on these issues. They said the outfits will launch a campaign to create awareness amongst Muslims, beginning with a gathering in Lucknow.

Prasad, however, was quoted by a newspaper as saying that three basic principles – gender justice, non-discrimination, and dignity of women – were at the core of the government’s affidavit on regulating personal laws.

Contrary to the Commission’s claim that the step is an ‘endeavour’ to address discrimination against vulnerable groups and harmonise the various cultural practices, Rehmani said when implemented the UCC will bring to an end country’s pluralism and paint all in “one colour” and end diversity and pluralism.

“People of different cultures stay in this country. If the UCC is implemented, attempts will be made to paint all in one colour, which is not in the interest of the country. Also, we don’t want the practice of triple talaq to be abolished. There are more divorces in other communities,” Madani said.
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