DCW writes to PM Modi, demands law against Nikah Halala and Polygamy

The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson Swati Maliwal on Thursday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding a law against Nikah Halala and Polygamy in the country.

"Nikah Halala is a practice which is nothing, but rape of a woman. A woman once divorced by her husband can't reconcile with him until she marries another man and develops a sexual relationship with him. Even then, if she wants to reconcile with her husband, the other man has to give her a divorce. It is physical abuse without the consent of the woman," Maliwal said in the letter.

"In many cases, it is seen that the second man refuses to give divorce and she is forced to live with him. This is a vicious cycle of torture and trauma for the woman entailing nothing, but physical and mental abuse," she added.

While requesting PM Modi to include the provisions criminalizing Nikah Halala and Polygamy in the Triple Talaq bill which has been introduced in the Lok Sabha, Maliwal said, "Not just Triple Talaq, but Nikah Halala and Polygamy are also extremely cruel practices that affect a large section of our society."

She added, "DCW comes across several women facing the brunt of triple talaq, nikah halala and polygamy on a daily basis and immeasurable pain of these women cannot be expressed."

"In a civilized society where women and men are given equal status in every aspect, there is no place for these evil practices. In any case, when countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turkey and several others have already banned instant triple talaq, then why not India?," stated Maliwal in the letter.

Terming polygamy as an 'assault on the right to equality for women', she said, "Polygamy is another cruel practice in which Muslim man is allowed to keep four wives at the same time. It seems that women hardly matter and are not given the basic respect a human being deserves. These practices are an assault on the right to equality for women guaranteed by the Constitution."

She also expressed hope that the government will take immediate action on this recommendation of the Commission and shall ensure that a comprehensive bill is passed in the Parliament.