TMC Minister and president of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind's West Bengal unit, Siddiqullah Chowdhury, Thursday accused the BJP government of interfering in Muslim personal laws and said the minority community of the country will not tolerate the Triple Talaq legislation.
This "draconian" triple talaq bill will be opposed tooth and nail, he said.
"We won't tolerate this direct interferance in our religious activities. We will oppose this Triple Talaq law and will not abide by it. It will be opposed tooth and nail by the Muslim community of the country," Siddiqullah Chowdhury, who is minister of Mass Education in West Bengal government, told PTI.
Only All India Muslim Personal Law Board can take a call on this matter. No one can interfere in our religion, he said.
"We have also called a meeting of the executive committee of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind in Delhi next week. If needed we would also write a letter to President and Prime Minister requesting them to discard this law. Everybody has the right to practice their own religion," Chowdhury said.
President Ram Nath Kovind has given assent to the triple talaq bill passed by Parliament, making it a law, a government notification said.
The bill, which prescribes up to three years imprisonment for muslim men giving instant triple talaq to their wives, was passed by Parliament on Tuesday.
Parliament approved the bill that makes instant triple talaq a criminal offence, after the contentious legislation was passed by Rajya Sabha.
Lok Sabha had passed the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill last week. With the president now approving it, the practice of instant divorce by Muslim men will be punishable by a jail term of up to three years.
Chowdhury said that he has decided to call a workshop of Imams in the city to discuss the issue of triple talaq and raise awareness regarding it so that it cannot be misused.
His comments drew a sharp reaction from BJP general secretary Sayantan Basu.
He said the statement by Chowdhuruy proves that TMC practices appeasement politics.
"Lakhs of muslim women will benefit from this law. The stand taken by TMC will backfire," Basu said.
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