Modi urges Muslims not to politicise triple talaq

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday urged Muslims not to "politicise" the triple talaq issue and requested them to come forward and find a "solution".

"I urge the people of Muslim community to not politicise the issue of triple talaq," Modi said while speaking on the occasion of Basava Jayanti.

"I request them to come forward and find a solution," the Prime Minister said.

Modi said he would fight against the sufferings of the Muslim daughters in the country. "My government will bring an end to this archaic law," he added.

He said reform has always come to "our society from within, whenever required". He expressed confidence that reformers would emerge from within the Muslim community itself to put an end to the "pain suffered by some Muslim women because of the practice of triple talaq".

Earlier in April, the Prime Minister had raised the triple talaq issue during the national executive meeting of his party in Bhubaneswar.

He had dubbed triple talaq a "bad social practice".

A constitution bench will hear the plea challenging the validity of the triple talaq, "nikah halala" and polygamy among the Muslims from May 11.

The Supreme Court which has been hearing a plea challenging the validity of the triple talaq, "nikah halala" and polygamy among the Muslims was earlier told by the central government that this practice "violates Muslim women's right to equality and dignity".

Opposing the practice, the government had described it as "patriarchal values and traditional notions about the role of women in society".

Under the triple talaq, a Muslim man can instantly divorce his wife by repeating "talaq" thrice. As per "nikah halala", a woman divorcee has to marry someone else and consummate this marriage before getting a divorce to remarry her earlier husband.

Addressing an event to mark the inauguration of Basava Jayanti, Modi said India's history is not only about defeat, poverty or colonialism. "India gave the message of good governance, non-violence and Satyagraha," he added.

On the occasion of the 884th birth anniversary of 12th-century philosopher, Kannada poet and social reformer Basaveshwara, Modi launched the digital version of "vachana" in 23 Indian languages.

Describing Basaveshwara's "vachanas" as a basis for good governance, he said the fruits of development such as housing, electricity and roads should reach one and all, without distinction. Modi said this is the true essence of "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas."

--IANS

gt/ruwa/bg