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Tripple "Talaq" - as an election agenda – Modi's Bundle of Contradictions
11-01-2016
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a desperate attempt to shore-up support among its base, right-wing Hindu nationalist’s voters, is questioning the validity of an Islamic divorce, “Triple Talaq,” practiced under the Islamic Shariat law of 1937.
The question is, can a man, even if he is the prime minister of the largest democracy in the world champion the rights of Muslim women, when he has failed miserably to deliver justice to his own wife – a child bride?
In an unusual and uncharacteristic move Mr. Modi positioned himself as a champion of Muslim women's rights in India. It has backfired already. An online petition that started on October 30th, seeking Justice for Jashodaben has gathered nearly 10,000 signatures in just matter of days. The petition author states, "Mr. Prime Minister, why don't you first practice what you preach, and put your house in order, before giving hollow speeches to trump up communal discord in the country?"
Washington Post, during Mr. Modi's state visit to United States in January 2015 headlined summed up the injustice his wife has experienced, "Abandoned as a child bride, wife of Narendra Modi hopes, he calls."
Mr. Modi in an unusual move, has taken upon himself, to champion the rights of Muslim women against the Sharia covenant of “Triple Talaq.”
On October 24th, while addressing a political rally in India’s largest Muslim Populated state, Utter Pradesh, where State elections will be held in early 2017. Mr. Modi said, “What is the crime of my Muslim sister that just like that over the telephone someone says ‘Talaq’ three times and her whole life should be ruined?”
Later in a televised speech he said, “No injustice should be meted out to our mothers and sisters in the name of religion or community.”
"When you do TV debate do not turn it into Hindu-Muslim issues. Debate should be between those who want change in Muslim society and those who do not want 125 crore Indians to know what is the issue,"? The Times of India?quoted the prime minister as saying.
However, this would be a very tough sell for Mr. Modi. Critics are already questioning his motives. After all, this is the man responsible for orchestrating the 2002 Gujrat Riots where more than 2000 Muslims were slaughtered, in cold blooded three day rampage carried out by the right-wing Hindu militant groups, RSS and Shiv Sena – Army of Shivaji. Thousands others were forced to flee in safe camps as thousands of Muslim women were raped, tortured and maimed, by RSS and Shiv Sena goons, while he presided as the Chief Minister of Gujrat. The victims of Gujrat riots, those who lost family members and women who were raped are still awaiting justice.
Since becoming a Prime Minister in 2014, now based on empty promises and false hope of “Acche Din” – “Sunny Ways.” The support for the BJP across India and especially regarding Mr. Modi has been in a nosedive. BJP has been losing consistently on regional State Elections across India.
Mr. Modi and BJP have been trying anything and everything to shore up support among its based voters by targeting Muslims. Especially in light of upcoming key state elections in Utter Pradesh.
Utter Pradesh is the largest Muslim populated state of India. Nearly twenty percent of its 200 million population are Muslims. Critics claim, Mr. Modi, is trying to make this an issue now, to not only appease its voter’s base, rather hoping to gain additional Muslim women voters, to offset those voters whom have now given up on him and his BJP.
Whatever Mr. Modi’s motive may be, it smacks right in the face of everything what Mr. Modi have stood for and against all his life.
Mr. Modi is hiding behind trying to bring some semblance to India's civil litigation process. He claims to bring in a single uniform civic code for all Indians, regardless of their faith. Currently, Muslims, Christians, Jews, and Zoroastrians have their own set of laws pertaining to personal issues, such as marriage, divorce, property, adoption, inheritance, and maintenance. Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, and Sikhs are governed by the Hindu Law. In addition, the Special Marriage Act of 1954 was enacted by the Indian parliament for Indians who wish to settle their disputes outside separate religious laws.
Indeed, from the governing perspective, as well as for the legal justice system and court proceedings before the judges, this is an absolute mess. It needs to be addressed. However, it is the timing and place where Mr. Modi has converted himself to be the new champion of Muslim Women's rights is in question. Why now? And Why starting with the Muslims? The Indian Muslims and large majority of Indians are questioning Mr. Modi's intent, as he paves the way for communal violence, chaos and unrest, to divert people's attention from his utter failure to deliver upon his election promises, "Acche Din."
Mr. Assaduddin Owaisi, a Prominent Muslim Parliamentarian and a lawyer points out that India has far greater and bigger problems to address than the issue of "Triple Talaq." He points out that there are number of laws and directives which previous as well as current government has failed to address, such as, Prohibition on Alcohol, since 1947.
Mr. Owaisi points out that on one hand Mr. Modi is touting his newly found mission as a path towards "Gender Justice" or equality in India. Meanwhile, unjust laws that are being practiced quiet conveniently everyday, affecting everyone are being ignored, such as special tax rebates for Hindus only, special tax exemption for Hindu Temple Trusts, special reservations for government jobs, and admissions to colleges and universities for Hindu Dalits (the untouchables). In fact, the courts have repeatedly asked government to review these policies as it is having a negative impact on minorities, an institutional reverse discrimination where qualified individuals from minorities, especially Muslims, 125 million, representing 12.5% of India's population are prevented from attending higher education or securing government employment because those seats are automatically given to the Dalits.
In summary, this is yet again, one of Mr. Modi's shenanigans to divert public's attention from real issues, his utter failure to revive the economy, create employment for youth, falling Indian currency against US Dollar, negative industrial growth and advance his right-wing Hindutva agenda to appease his voters base.
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