scorecardresearch
Thursday, March 28, 2024
Support Our Journalism
HomeIndiaMuslim women's body that backed Modi govt on triple talaq slams 'inaction'...

Muslim women’s body that backed Modi govt on triple talaq slams ‘inaction’ on lynchings

Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Aandolan asks where's sabka vishwas, says those sitting in govt must understand that Muslim women also get impacted by lynchings.

Follow Us :
Text Size:

New Delhi: A leading national Muslim women’s group, which had backed the Modi government’s decision to bring in a law banning triple talaq, has now questioned the government’s inaction in the face of lynchings and mob violence against Muslims.

In the backdrop of the most recent killing of Tabrez Ansari, 24, in Jharkhand, the Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Aandolan (BMMA) has demanded “clear-cut action on the ground” to prevent communal violence against Muslims in the country.

In a statement released Monday, the BMMA, which was one of the petitioners in the 2017 triple talaq case, pointed out that it had supported the Modi government’s “efforts to ensure gender equality for Muslim women” despite accusations that it was “playing into the hands of the right-wing majoritarian government”.

It goes on to add that it is anguished that instead of ensuring more inclusivity, the situation for the Muslim community has only worsened in the country.

“The Prime Minister has talked about gaining sabka vishwas (everybody’s trust) but sadly there is no change in violence and lynchings by the vigilante groups,” the statement reads. “We hope those sitting in the government understand that Muslim women also get impacted by these lynchings.

“We as Muslim women also worry about our own brothers, fathers and other male members of our family in the face of vigilante violence,” it adds.

The BJP government has often been accused of showing sympathy for Muslim women by seeking to criminalise the practice of triple talaq on one hand, and remaining mute when in the face of growing mob violence against the community in general.

“Muslim women are being forced to choose between their individual rights as women and the survival and well-being of the community guaranteed by the Constitution. Is that even a choice that she has to be subjected to?” the BMMA has asked.

Prominent backer of govt on triple talaq

In the past, the BMMA has often been one of the lone Muslim groups to throw its weight behind the BJP government’s push for criminalisation of triple talaq, even as opposition parties such as the Congress, Trinamool Congress, the All-India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and Muslim groups such as the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) have vociferously criticised it as a way of targeting the Muslim community.

The BMMA had even questioned the Congress’ inaction over the plight of Muslim women for its own political gains.

Maintaining this position, the group has now said, “On the one hand, there has been the complete failure of the larger community to address it in the last seven decades. And now there is the added dimension of open hatred and exclusion of the community in the face of state apathy.

“While we as Muslim women will continue to fight for gender justice, we also stand up to hold the state accountable in its Constitutional obligation to uphold peace, justice, harmony and to end of the politics of hate and violence,” the statement adds.


Also read: Bihar encephalitis to lynchings to #MeToo – why Indians don’t take issues to the finish line


 

Subscribe to our channels on YouTube, Telegram & WhatsApp

Support Our Journalism

India needs fair, non-hyphenated and questioning journalism, packed with on-ground reporting. ThePrint – with exceptional reporters, columnists and editors – is doing just that.

Sustaining this needs support from wonderful readers like you.

Whether you live in India or overseas, you can take a paid subscription by clicking here.

Support Our Journalism

2 COMMENTS

  1. Accusing Modi and believing that Modi can stop lynching is like believing that Rahul Gandhi can defeat Modi. So far politicising the lynchings has not helped in stopping people repeating this crime. In fact politicisation of lynchings is aggravating the situation as it gives the culprits the publicity they need to continue repeating the crime.

    For a moment think this way: Can Modi stop rape crimes? Can Modi stop murders?
    Those who demand Modi to stop this or that, Are they really serious in achieving their objectives?
    Modi can certainly make new laws, can change existing laws, can appeal to people and may do one or two additional things. That’s it. On one side liberals accuse Modi as dictator but they also expect him to behave like a dictator in respect of lynchers. This in again not going to work.

    Lynching is a social crime and it has be dealt with at two fronts: 1) Law and order 2) Hindu – Muslim relations. Law and order is the responsibility of local administrations. Improving Hindu – Muslim relations is the joint responsibility of social activists, religious leaders and the governments. If they don’t work together and instead play politics, lynchings would continue in one form or the other.

  2. For the Muslim community to feel shaken up and deeply insecure about Lynchings is only natural. A time has come for all Indians of good conscience to share their pain, say Not in my name.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Most Popular