Union Ministers observe 'Muslim Women Rights Day' on first anniversary of Triple Talaq law

The Modi government is observing July 31 as Muslim Women Rights Day, marking the first anniversary of the passage of the anti-triple talaq law in Parliament. 

The law, formally called the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019, was passed in last year after intense debates in both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha, with opposition parties stating it targeted the Muslim community even as the Centre asserted that it would help achieve gender justice for Muslim women.

Union Ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad, Smriti Irani, and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi took to social media to hail their government's actions and pitched the ban on instant triple talaq as a huge step for the empowerment of women.

READ | Triple Talaq Law Contributed To Woman Empowerment: Union Minister Prakash Javadekar

READ | Law Against Triple Talaq Strengthened Self-reliance Among Muslim Women: Naqvi

The BJP Minority Morcha and the Mahila Morcha have organised programmes in different states to mark the occasion. There were many videos shared on social media of Muslim women thanking the Prime Minister for getting the anti-Triple Talaq law passed in 2019, using the hashtag ''ThanksModiBhaiJaan''.

Naqvi also shared videos on his Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts in which Muslim women from various parts of the country thanked the prime minister. In the videos, Sahabiya from Hyderabad, Shahida Abbas from Maharashtra, Shabana Rehman and Tabassum from Delhi thanked the prime minister for the bill, asserting that Muslim women are feeling secure now.

On August 1, 2019, the bill against triple talaq was enacted into law after the President gave his assent to the legislation. Naqvi had said last week that there have been about 82% decline in triple talaq cases since the law against the "social evil" was put in place. He had termed August 1, when the legislation came into effect, as "Muslim women's rights day".

The Narendra Modi government made the law against triple talaq following the Supreme Court's judgement of 2017 that declared as unconstitutional the instantaneous practice, followed by Muslim men, of divorcing a wife by uttering the word ''talaq'' thrice. By enacting the triple talaq law, the Modi government has strengthened socio-economic, fundamental and constitutional rights of the Muslim women, Mr Naqvi had said earlier.

(With PTI inputs) (Image: Twitter/@rsprasad)

READ | Ahead Of Anniversary, Minister Shares Videos Of Women Thanking PM For Triple Talaq Ban

READ | 'About 82 Pc Decline In Triple Talaq Cases Since Law Enacted By Modi Govt': Naqvi