As a debate over the contentious issue of triple talaq raged, BSP supremo Mayawati criticised the prime minister over his stance on the subject, saying he should not "force his opinion and decision" on the believers of any particular religion by "following the RSS agenda".
Union I and B Minister Venkaiah Naidu said the government and BJP are "strongly" in favour of ending this practice, holding it as discriminatory against women and against the constitutional right of equality.
"The triple talaq issue is an internal problem of Muslims and in this context the Muslim community should seriously think over it. Muslim women have gone to court on this issue. In the present era there should not be any kind of gender-based discrimination. On talaq issue, women have gone to court and we expect that they get justice properly," RSS All India General Secretary Bhayyaji Joshi told reporters in Hyderabad.
Accusing the BJP and the Centre of tinkering with issues related to Shariat, Mayawati said such matters should be left to the Muslim community and not raked up with an eye on the upcoming Assembly elections in some states for political gains.
"BJP and its central government led by Narendra Modi has now started a new controversy over Muslim personal law, triple talaq and common civil code before the Assembly elections in some states to serve its petty politics. BSP strongly condemns it," Mayawati said in a statement in Lucknow.
Naidu said all discrimination against women must come to an end.
"We are a civilised and democratic country. Why should there be discrimination on the basis of gender and this triple talaq is a gender discrimination and is against the Consititution...BJP or government is strongly in favour of ending triple talaq," Naidu told reporters in Delhi.
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