Since time unknown,women in this country have been denied of basic fundamental rights. For women belonging to the Muslim community this problem was on another level. Triple Talaq, a form of Islamic divorce which was practiced by Muslim communities in India allowed men to legally divorce just by stating the the word ‘talaq’ for three times. This form of divorce practiced by the community has been violating basic rights of women since ages, leading to millions of marriages end without hearing the woman’s side. The practice drastically affected women making their lives miserable and in many cases women had to spend their lives as a destitute.
Shayara Bano, hailing from a remote hamlet in Uttrakhand was given instant divorce by her husband who wrote the word ‘talaq’ thrice on a piece of paper and sent it to her in 2015. That piece of paper shook her from within and triggered her to fight against the age old practice. She battled with criticism from people belonging to her community until she finally grabbed media’s attention.
Bold and fierce Shayara Bano then filed a petition against Triple Talaq which lead to a turmoil in the country. Some termed it a religious law while some called it a violation of fundamental rights of women. To bring out the best results, the case was heard by five judges belong to different religious beliefs–Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, Sikhism, Zoroastrianism. Finally after a lot of analysis and discussion, the Supreme Court declared Triple Talaq to be illegal, calling it “unconstitutional”. The court’s judgement on the case fueled enthusiasm and joy amongst women across India.
This iconic case was addressed by PM Narendra Modi who tweeted, “Judgment of the Hon’ble SC on Triple Talaq is historic. It grants equality to Muslim women and is a powerful measure for women empowerment.”
Shayara Bano, the lady who challenged the validity of Triple Talaq in India has been applauded by people across the nation and she has definitely set an example that no woman is less. The judgement has not only pumped the energy amongst Muslim women, it has also made women feel confident and inspiring them to voice against wrong.
Thank you Shayara Bano to bring an end to this age old practice and liberating daughters of the country from the shackles of Triple Talaq.
(Pic courtesy: The Indian Express)
