Content with verdict, doubtful about lawmaking: Shabnam Hashmi

Social activist Shabnam Hashmi on Tuesday welcomed the Supreme Court verdict striking down triple talaq but expressed doubts about it becoming a law, saying the issue can be "politicised" and used by different parties for their own benefit.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Supreme Court, in a majority judgement, held triple talaq being practised by the Muslim community as "unconstitutional", "arbitrary" and "not part of Islam".

However, two judges in a minority judgement, said triple talaq is "integral to Islamic practices and enjoys constitutional protection".

It urged the parliament to pass a law to deal with the issue.

"I welcome the judgement. That's very good. If the next process is of making the law then that can create a problem. All those different sections of the Muslim fundamentalists and Hindu fundamentalists would again get into it," Hashmi told IANS folowing the judgement.

"It's mandatory to make a law but I hope the process of lawmaking is not politicised," she added, saying that she was afraid all kinds of religious groups were going to use it.

She said the Prime Minister is not concerned about women's issues. "He wants to use them is a different thing."

"(In a) country which says marital rape is fine, a country which sends an adult woman back to her home and declares an NIA enquiry in love jihad... I haven't heard the Prime Minister say anything about that... not a word on his own wife and her abandonment."

She wished that the court had not directed parliament to make a law on triple talaq and the judgement ended with its ban.

--IANS

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