Triple Talaq: Muslim women trust Supreme Court, says NGO

Mumbai, Aug 10 (IANS) The Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan (BMMA) on Thursday urged the Supreme Court to expedite verdict in the Triple Talaq issue as Muslim women expected justice from the apex court.

In a letter written to Chief Justice of India J.S. Khehar on August 5 -- copies of which were released on Thursday -- the Andolan said the "verdict would end the legal discrimination of Muslim women through the unjust practice of Triple Talaq".

"Thousands of Muslim women are eager to hear a judgement that would put an end to their ordeal after being divorced arbitrarily and instantly despite there being no Quranic sanction for it (Triple Talaq)," said the letter.

The BMMA pointed out that absence of any legal protection left the Muslim women vulnerable to this unjust and arbitrary practice, and they were rendered homeless and destitutes instantly, without any support for them or their children.

"Today, ordinary women in cities and mofussil areas are hopeful that they would get justice from the Supreme Court of India. Muslim women feel betrayed by the patriarchal bodies claiming to speak in the name of religion. Muslim women do not trust these bodies and look forward to the court for justice," the BMMA said.

Referring to rumours spread by the patriarchal elements that the apex court had decided to refrain from "interference in Islam" and ruled for continuation of Triple Talaq, the BMMA said they (such elements) spoke neither for Islam nor for Muslim women, who had fought tremendous hardships and threat to approach the court.

"We are confident that the Supreme Court will give a ruling upholding the Constitution and equal rights for women. We urge your Lordship once again to kindly expedite the verdict in the Triple Talaq matter. End to Triple Talaq would restore the faith of ordinary Muslims in democracy," the BMMA said.

The letter to the CJI has been signed by activist and BMMA co-founders Zakia Soman and Noorjehan Safia Niaz, petitioners in the Triple Talaq case Afreen Rahman of Jaipur and lawyer Badar Sayed of Chennai, besides women's activist Naseem Akhtar from Jaipur.

The other signatories are BMMA convenors from different parts of India like Khatun Shaikh (Maharashtra), Farhat Amin (Odisha), Jaibunnisa R. (Tamil Nadu), Nishat Hussain (Rajasthan), Nasreen M. (Karnataka), Niyazmin Dahia (New Delhi), Rahima Khatun (West Bengal) and Safia Akhtar (Madhya Pradesh).