Triple talaq: PM Modi's statement draws mixed reaction from women activists

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's outreach to people on the triple talaq issue and urging the intellectuals who participate in the TV debate to not to make it a Hindu-Muslim issue has drawn mixed reactions from women activists.

Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan cofounder Zakia Soman on Monday welcomed the statement made by the Prime Minister and said the statement will go a long way in enabling and supporting struggle for gender justice in Islam, particularly to Muslim women in India.

Urging the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) which has remained defiant in scrapping the discriminatory practice, Soman said the Muslim law board stands exposed and they should accept that they have denied justice to Muslim women since the independence.

"I would appeal to Muslim board and other patriarchal institutions to give up this un-winnable and unethical fight, their insistence on the continuation of triple talaq is unethical, un-Quranic and unconstitutional, they should give up this demand and they should acknowledge us," she said.

Meanwhile, the general secretary of the Communist Party of National Federation of Indian Women, Annie Raja has criticised the Prime Minister for making selective statements on triple talaq and remaining silent on the women reservation bill.

"He remained mute to women reservation bill. He has been in power for the past two and a half years, he has the majority in parliament. But no single word from the Prime Minister shows the double standard of towards women," Annie told ANI.

Addressing a rally in Mahoba, Uttar Pradesh, Prime Minister Modi criticised political leaders and people on the TV debates saying such discussions on Triple Talaq would keep women "deprived of their rights".

"I request people who participate in TV debates to not make women rights a Hindu- Muslim issue. It is a development issue. The debate should be between the Muslims who are pro and anti-reforms," he said.

He also said that justice would be given to Muslim women under the Constitution.