Congress, left and a couple of Opposition parties welcomed the Supreme Court verdict holding the practice of divorce through triple talaq among Muslims as “unconstitutional”. While Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi congratulated the women who fought for justice, CPI said the ruling “vindicates” its stated position towards opposing “instant” triple talaq.
“Welcome the Supreme Court decision setting aside instant Triple Talaq. I congratulate the women who fought for justice,” Rahul said on Twitter. The party welcomed the Supreme Court's verdict setting aside the practice of divorce through 'talaq- e-bidat' among Muslims, saying it was an “affirmation of women rights” and would give them relief from discrimination.
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the apex court quashed the practice of instant triple talaq or 'talaq-e-bidat', which by itself was “an aberration and adulteration” of talaq. Congress leader Salman Khurshid also welcomed the judgement, saying “it is a good decision”. However, he said the reasoning behind the decision was as important as the decision itself and one should see it before coming to any conclusion.
The BSP too welcomed the judgement and called for enactment of a law in this regard without any narrow politics. In a statement here, BSP chief Mayawati said, “It is now the responsibility of the central government to enact a legislation within the desired time frame as per the wish and intention of the apex court without any narrow politics of RSS' hidden agenda.”
She said her party welcomed the apex court's order keeping in mind the atrocities on Muslim women in the country because of triple talaq or under its garb for years.
In a statement, the CPI(M) said, “The Politburo welcomes the Supreme Court verdict treating arbitrary and instant triple talaq as unconstitutional, delivered by a majority judgement of the five-member bench.”
The CPI asked the government to show “political will” towards ensuring passage of women's reservation bill. CPI national secretary D Raja said the government should consider reforms in all personal laws. “The Parliament is directed to enact a law. But such an exercise should not be confining to one particular religion, community or one personal law,” he said.
“It should be a comprehensive one, taking all personal laws to reform them in order to ensure gender justice and equality,” he said. The Rajya Sabha member said Prime Minister Narendra Modi in one of his speeches referred to triple talaq, but “did not utter a single word on women's reservation bill”.
“It is time Government should show some political will to get the women reservation bill passed,” he added.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) claimed the Supreme Court's verdict on triple talaq is a blow to the “plans” of the government of “using the judiciary as a shield” on the issue. The party also suggested that the government could make a draft legislation and based on suggestions by parties, a law could be enacted on the issue. “They (government) did not want to lose a section of their vote bank by taking a decision over this contentious issue. Thus, they were seeking an escape route using the judiciary as a shield. But, the Supreme Court has dealt a blow to their plans,” NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said.