After the Supreme Court on Tuesday struck down the Islamic practice of triple talaq, many religious and political parties have reacted differently to the decision.

While many national leaders have hailed the Supreme Court’s decision, many religious and political leaders said that the decision is interference in the religious matters.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM) has called it a “contentious issue” that demands a more nuanced step than the one taken.

In his argument, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi highlighted the fact that even the five-judge constitution bench could not arrive at the decision unanimously as Justice Nariman, Justice Lalit and Justice Kurien opposed the view of Justice Nazir and Chief Justice of India J.S. Khehar.

“Triple Talaq is a very contentious issue. That is why you see even in the Supreme Court, there was no unanimity.” Owaisi said.

Meanwhile, former minister from Jammu and Kashmir and National Conference leader, Mustafa Kamal, said that triple talaq has often been misused against women and SC verdict is an interference in religious matters of Muslims and the issue should have been addressed at the societal level.

“As far as Jammu and Kashmir is concerned the law can be extended only if it is passed by Assembly or government brings an ordinance, Kamal said.

He said that nevertheless the practice has been misused mostly by Arab Muslims who come to southern states of India and marry and divorce women at their whims.

Islamic Scholar Moulana Gulam Rasool Hami said that sensitive issues like Shah Bano and Triple Talaq are being used for political accretion, to defame Islamic identity and to display Muslims and Islam as wrong doers.

Hami said that those people who are completely unaware about Shariah Law and Islam are debating on Triple Talaq issue. To save the sensitive issues like Triple Talaq Muslims need to get aware about these issues, so that they can safeguard their religion.

Hami said that Islam is that Religion which provides balanced rights to both Man and Woman.

BJP’s Kashmir unit welcomed the SC verdict. Welcoming the Supreme Court verdict on triple talaq, party leader and MLC, Sofi Yusuf, said that there should be no hurdles to extend the verdict to Jammu and Kashmir.

He said that a law could be passed in the Assembly to extend it to the only Muslim majority state. Yusuf said that the practice was putting women at disadvantage and the state should not be deprived of the verdict.

“I have come across cases of women divorced in most inhuman way,” he said.

Pertinently, Shia clerics today welcomed the verdict of the Supreme Court banning the Triple Talaq in one go, terming it a life saver for Muslim women.

However, the clerics also warned the government not to interfere into the uniform civil code (UCC) as the entire community was united on the matter.

 All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) vice-chairman Maulana Kalbe Sadiq though refused to comment on the SC judgment and said the issue was not concerned with the Shia sect.

“We have nothing to do with this illegal system as Shia follows strict Talaq norms,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Indian Union Muslim League in Kerala demanded that the central government should not show any undue haste in coming out with an ordinance on triple talaq. The Centre should debate the issue well and not show any undue haste in coming out with an ordinance.

Guest