Find solution to triple talaq issue outside court: Jamiat

Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind President Maulana Syed Arshad Madani on Wednesday opposed what he said was judicial interference in Muslims' religous affairs and said a solution to the triple talaq issue should be found outside the court.

"Instead of court interference in religious affairs (of Muslims), the issue should be discussed between Islamic scholars," he said.

He said the higher judiciary should put forth its objections to Triple Talaq before the religious scholars and ask them to find a solution to the contentious issue.

"The court can have objections to certain points; it should ask us to find a solution. If the Supreme Court can say that the issue of Babri Masjid (in Ayodhaya in Uttar Pradesh) should be resolved outside the court, why not this (talaq) issue be solved by the ulemas (Islamic scholars)?" he asked.

Madani said: "If they are able to find a solution, then it is good... and if they cannot, the court doors will still remain open."

The Jamiat leader said neither the minority community nor others should play politics on the issue.

Under Triple Talaq, a Muslim man can divorce his wife by orally pronouncing the word talaq (divorce) three times.

"I am surprised that Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) is saying that Muslim women are being meted out injustice. Isn't this politics? This is also politics. You are doing politics over Muslim issues," Madani said.

Citing a survey, he said there were more divorces among the Hindus than the Muslims in the country.

"Muslims have been living in this country for more than 1,000 years. Had Muslims women been oppressed for so long, voices would have been raised earlier too.

"An impression has been created that every Muslim man divorces his wife. Muslims have been projected in a poor light. This is not true; this is wrong. Divorces happen in one in thousand cases," the Jamiat leader said.

He said divorce is not a one-sided affair in the Muslim community. "There is also a provision for the woman to take divorce on her own."

Asked if he would meet the Prime Minister, Madani said: "If he calls me, I'll definitely go... I won't go on my own."

On the issue of the National Register of Citizenship (NRC) in Assam, Madani said the state government should respect the Assam Accord and strictly follow its terms and conditions.

He said the citizenship issue should be decided on the basis of March 25, 1971, as the cut-off year and not 1951.

"As many as 48 lakh women in Assam are likely to lose their citizenship rights. The Bharatiya Janata Party government is harassing these women. It is wrong and unfair," said Madani.

--IANS

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