The Congress today accused the Prime Minister and the BJP of politicising the triple talaq issue and even suggested that the saffron party was trying to drive a wedge between Muslim women and their husbands to create a new vote bank.
Senior Congress spokesperson Ghulam Nabi Azad said no other political party except the BJP and its ideological mentor the RSS are trying to politicise the issue.
The Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha said no Muslim believes in triple talaq and the practice is adhered to as per the holy book in which certain norms and time-frame have been laid.
"When the society is already discussing this issue of triple talaq and the court is looking into it, then why is the BJP unnecessarily coming in between Muslim women and their Muslim husbands. The BJP should not make attempts at creating a new vote bank," he told reporters.
Asked about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement today urging Muslims not to view the issue of triple talaq from political perspective, he alleged that it was the Prime Minister who was politicising the issue.
"He is the biggest champion of politicising the issue. He is the champion and he started it. And to say not to politicise it, is itself politicising it," he said, adding that the Prime Minister should exercise restraint and rein in his partymen.
Azad asked if any other political party was seen raising the issue except BJP and RSS.
He said if any other leader was saying so, it was only in response to what the BJP is saying.
"BJP leaders and the RSS have been making this a political agenda before and during the elections. This is the agenda of the BJP and the RSS to politicise it. Other parties have only responded," he said.
Azad said he does not think any Muslim believes in misusing triple talaq as "it is against Shariyat, Quran and Islam".
"BJP is politicising triple talaq. It is illegal, as it does not stand in religion or in the Quran. Talaq is a long drawn process and time frame has been given and Muslims go by it," he said.
He said no Muslim believes in triple talaq in one go and added that for thousands of years, ills and infirmities in various religions have existed and are corrected with time. He also cited the social evil of Sati among Hindu women which have been eradicated over time.
"People have made many interpretations and there have been several changes. Whatever is good remains and others are removed," he said.
Modi today urged Muslims not to view the triple talaq issue from a political perspective and expressed the confidence that efforts to end the practice would be led by "enlightened" members of the community.
At a function to mark the Basava Jayanti celebrations in honour of Kannada philosopher Basaveswara, Modi referred to the 12th century reformer's movement against regressive practices to speak about triple talaq.
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