Triple Talaq: AIMPLB against Union Civil Code; say it’s not good for nation

The triple talaq debate has led the Law Commission to issue a questionnaire to know the public’s point of view on whether the Union Civil Code (UCC) will be a better option to deal with anti-women practices in various religions. This has created quite a stir in the All India Muslim Personal Law Board which has boycotted the Law Commission initiative and said that the UCC is not good for India.

The AIMPLB has also accused the Law Commission of backing the Centre which had opposed triple talaq in the Supreme Court earlier this week. The Centre had also said that triple talaq cannot be considered as a significant part of Islam.

"A uniform civil code is not good for this nation. There're so many cultures in this nation, (they) have to be respected. India can't impose a single ideology," said the Board's Hazrat Maulana Wali Rahmani at a press briefing on Thursday, as reported by TOI.

In its questionnaire, the commission has asked if triple talaq should be abolished completely or be amended. However, AIMPLB maintains that triple talaq is a personal law and so it cannot be meddled with by the Centre and SC.

“We are living in this country with an agreement held by the Constitution. The Constitution has made us live and practise our religion. In America everyone follows their personal laws and identity, how come our nation doesn't want to follow their steps in this matter?" Rahmani said.

The Centre has conflicting opinion on various practices like triple talaq, nikaah halala and polygamy, which it says are not a part of the religion and so cannot be protected by the Muslim Personal Law.

The Muslim Personal Law Board officials feel that Muslims are being discriminated against in the country. But the Law Commission said that the questionnaire is not just about Islamic practices but gender bias prevalent in various religions in the country.

Earlier, even the All India Women’s Muslim Personal Law Board had objected to Union Civil Code, but it had asked for an abolition of triple talaq in the Supreme Court.

Shethepeople.TV met Egyptian journalist, Mona Eltahawy, last week and asked her view on the triple talaq debate. “Personally, I believe that family law around the world must be completely secular regardless of what religion you are talking about. I say this about family laws because it concerns the most vulnerable members of our society and that’s women and children. Because when it’s left to religious courts, they are still very discriminatory and they work in a way to benefit men and husbands.”

She added, “So here in India or any part of the world, we must remove religion from civil laws completely,” Eltahawy said.

Picture credit- Indiatimes