Triple talaq cases dropped by 80% after enactment of law: Naqvi

Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Sunday said that the cases of instant triple talaq has been dropped by 80 per cent since the Muslim Women (Protection Of Rights On Marriage) Act was enacted.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi fulfilled his promises. The Ram Temple issue in Ayodhya was resolved, Article 370 was abrogated for the benefit of the people in Jammu and Kashmir and ‘mahram’ law was ended by the Modi government,” Naqvi said speaking at an event in the national capital to commemorate two years of triple talaq. “More than 3500 Muslim women have travelled to Hajj without a mahram,” he said.

“The cases of instant triple talaq has been dropped by 80 per cent since the Muslim Women (Protection Of Rights On Marriage) Act was enacted on August 1, 2019. In Uttar Pradesh, before the law was enacted there were 0ver 63,000 cases were registered but after the enactment of the law, the cases dropped to 221 cases. Bihar registered 49 cases after enactment of the Muslim Women (Protection Of Rights On Marriage) Act,” he added.

Meanwhile, slamming the Central government over ‘triple talaq’, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday said the legislation was “against equality” and “demonizes Muslims”.

“This law against triple talaq is unconstitutional and has been challenged in Supreme Court. It is against equality and demonizes Muslims. Would the Modi government only celebrate Muslim Women Rights Day? What about the empowerment of Hindu, Dalit and OBC women?” said Owaisi. The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief also said that the law will lead to more exploitation of Muslim women and will add up to their problems. “Only cases will be registered and no justice will be delivered. Muslims have not accepted it on the ground,” Owaisi added.

The Ministry of Minority Affairs had previously said that 1 August will be observed as “Muslim Women Rights Day” across the country to celebrate the second anniversary of the enactment of the law against triple talaq.

The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage), Act, 2019, criminalises instant ‘triple talaq’ among Muslims and attracts a jail term of three years for the husband. The Act was the first bill introduced in Parliament after the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government was re-elected to power in 2019.