New Delhi: Triple talaq is valid, but its misuse should not be allowed as it will give government a chance to "target" the practice, imams from National Capital Region said in a conference today.
The conference, said to be attended by 500 imams, vehemently opposed Centre's stand on triple talaq and Law Commission's move seeking feedback from public on whether Uniform Civil Code be made optional.
In its bid to up the ante over the Commission to reverse the move, the imams also decided to collect signatures from community members, especially women, to send out message that they don't have objections with the present personal laws.
The conference, organised by All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) member Mufti Aijaz Arshad Qasmi, was also attended by its general secretary Wali Rahamani.
"During the meeting, we decided to deal with the issue of complaints relating misuse of triple talaq. Triple talaq is valid. Though it should not be misused as that may give a chance to the government to attack the practice.
"So, we have decided to spread awareness about it and discussed strategy to tackle government's stand on it in court," Qasmi said.
Qasmi, also Delhi Waqf Board member, said the imams picked flaws in the UCC during the meeting and opposed the move which will "threaten diversity and pluralism" of the country.
"The AIMPLB general secretary asked attendees to be mentally prepare for protest over the issue, if need be. The protests will be carried out peacefully," he added.
Making perhaps the first such move, the Law Commission had on October 7 sought feedback from public on whether the practice of triple talaq be abolished and whether a uniform civil code should be optional.
In its affidavit submitted to Supreme Court on the same day, the Centre had also opposed before the apex court the practice of triple talaq, 'nikah halala' and polygamy among Muslims.
The government had said that triple talaq cannot be regarded as an essential part of the religion and favoured a relook on grounds like gender equality and secularism.
The Ministry of Law and Justice, in the affidavit, referred to constitutional principles like gender equality, secularism, international covenants, religious practices and marital law prevalent in various Islamic countries to drive home the point that the practice of triple talaq and polygamy needed to be adjudicated upon afresh by the apex court.
The law panel's move assumes significance as the Supreme Court had recently said it would prefer a wider debate, in public as well as in court, before taking a decision on the constitutional validity of 'triple talaq', which many complain is abused by Muslim men to arbitrarily divorce their wives.
