Yogi govt announces Rs 6,000 annual aid for triple talaq victims

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday announced an annual assistance of Rs 6,000 to the victims of triple talaq till their rehabilitation and said they will also get free legal aid from the state government.

The chief minister, under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK) here, interacted with the women who faced divorce through outlawed practice of instant triple talaq. He said such women should be given rights over waqf properties and also called for several welfare measures that should be undertaken for their rehabilitation.

Around 300 women from across the state attended the event.

"Educated women should be absorbed in government jobs as per their qualifications while arrangements should also be made for providing them shelter and education under various schemes. These women should be covered under the Ayushman Bharat Yojana or under the Chief Minister Arogya Scheme," he said.

Adityanath directed the departments concerned to prepare welfare schemes for the victims.

"Proper schemes should be implemented for the overall development of the society and no person should feel neglected," he said.

While assuring the triple talaq victims that their grievances will be redressed, the chief minister in a stern warning to the police said they too would be punished if it is found that they failed to perform their duty.

Adityanath said women have the right to live with dignity .

"In Uttar Pradesh, in last one year, 273 cases of triple talaq were reported from various districts in which FIR was registered. We will ensure proper grievance redressal of the triple talaq victims and in case police failed to do their duties, they too will be punished," the chief minister said, adding the society cannot develop if one community is neglected.

He asked the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) to personally look into the concerns of the victims who submitted their applications during the event.

The chief minister also asked for identifying triple talaq victims and holding such interactive programmes at divisional level.

"The government is ready to support all women, whether Hindu or Muslim, who have faced any kind of harassment. The government wants to make it clear that even Hindu men illegally having second wife and harassing them would not be spared and will face the wrath of law," he said.

The chief minister inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for projects that are meant to benefit the minority community, according to a state government statement.

"I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for bringing law on triple talaq and taking the step towards women empowerment and honouring the dignity of women. Only he could have taken such step," he said.

"I want to assure all the women present here and other women of the state that the UP government is there to support them and help in all possible ways while following the path shown by PM Modi," he said.

He also highlighted the problems that women face, especially those from the minority community, in coming out of the confines of their homes and fight their personal battle against inequality and torture, the statement said.

"I congratulate such women for showing the way to others too," Adityanath said.

"It is so easy to break, but it takes a lot of effort to join anything and likewise destruction is way easier than creation. Our battle is against such people who want to trample the human sentiments and leave kids and women helpless," he said.

Citing the Shah Bano case of 1985, Adityanath said, "The Supreme Court had, for five times, asked pervious governments to stop the practice of triple talaq. But none took notice and no steps were taken to bring any law on this evil practice under the facade of secularism... 22 Islamic countries have banned triple talaq. It is a matter of concern that now men use social media and WhatsApp to give triple talaq".

Five victims of triple talaq -- Reshma Bano from Jaunpur, Sumaila Javed from Amroha, Haseena from Sidhharthnagar, Hina Fatima from Sitapur and Ruhi Fatima from Aligarh -- interacted with CM Adityanath and narrated their struggle and hardship in getting justice.