Women’s rights campaigners have hailed the Supreme Court order Tuesday declaring Triple Talaq as “illegal, void and against the Constitution.”
Namrata Chaddha, former chief of Orissa state women commission, was among those who welcomed the court order. Said she, “I welcome this verdict; it should have come long ago. I have been associated with the triple talaq case during my tenure at the women commission. There was a woman here who was given triple talaq. She approached me and said her husband did so in an intoxicated state. Her husband too admitted that it was so. Yet, it was after a lot of efforts that things were set right for the woman to enable her live again with her husband. Millions like her, who underwent such trauma, must be feeling a sense of relief
after this verdict.
Nushrat Jeba, a student of mechanical engineering, said, “This verdict should have come much earlier. So many women from my community have suffered just because of this age-old practice. God save those who have abolished this law.”
Noshi Bakshi, another student of MBA at KIIT University, said, ”We are celebrating this verdict. What a relief for Muslim women! God saved them now. Let the government take a strong stand on this and come up with a law as the court has advised.”
Richa Modh, HR manager with a private firm in the city who stays at Saileshree Vihar, reacted, ”India is really changing and we are truly feeling blessed that such a historic verdict has come now. This gives more power to women, no more crying and no more talaq.” Said Shabana Khan, housewife at Damana, said, ”It’s time to rejoice as our cultural bondage is ending. In the 21st Century, minorities like us are still made to live in the Stone Age by way of wrong customs being practised at community levels. Triple Talaq was a shame. Good that today’s women have the courage to challenge such wrong practices that turned women into slaves of men.” Mona, a housewife from Cuttack visiting her parents’ home in Nayapalli, said, ”This is a proud moment, unacceptable practices like this should vanish sooner than later. Such practices should be banned irrespective of caste, culture, religion and creed.”
Anisha Begum, a journalist in the city, said, “I don’t know whether there is a mention of triple talaq in Quran, so I may not be the right person to comment on the issue, but yes the verdict may benefit those who are victims in the hands of those who tried to use this system for their individual benefit.”
Mohd Shahid, brother of a triple talaq victim, said, “There is nothing good about triple talaq, but there are many who practiced it. My sister has been a victim of this practice and now she is staying with me.”
Safique Abdul, Gandhian and social activist, said, “I have been against this practice for long and I welcome the decision. It is a gift for all those women who were victimized in this fashion. In Quran there is nothing about triple talaq, it is mentioned only in shariat law. Most Muslims are uneducated and they practised it without understanding its evil side.” Footnote: Several Muslim women OP talked to Tuesday said the Muslim community remains quite backward in education and in their embracing of modern trends in life. This is resulting in the stifling of their voices and keeping them behind burquas. “We are the child-producing machines for men,” said one Muslim woman, but insisted that her name not be published. “I am too scared,” she added.
