Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI (M)] MP Mohammed Salim on Thursday, December 27 said that he was not surprised when a statement from his speech was expunged during the heated Triple Talaq Bill debate in Lok Sabha.
“I did not mention anyone’s name. However, it has become a common practice in Lok Sabha to expunge anything pointing fingers at RSS (Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh), Savarkar (V.D. Savarkar) and Modi (Narendra Modi),” Salim told NewsCentral24x7.
In his speech, Salim had said that how a party, whose leader says “Muslim women to be taken out from their graves and be raped” and becomes chief minister, can talk about women’s equality. He even added that he can show videos and evidence of the person making the statement, referring to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. However, the statement was expunged from the daily proceedings.
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He underlined that the saffron party is not serious about gender justice. “They are not sincere in their efforts to bring the act. They are simply using it as a political campaign. A Joint Parliamentary Committee should discuss every aspect of the bill and then a decision should be taken,” said the CPI(M)’s deputy leader in the Lok Sabha.
Slamming the BJP for playing communal politics, Salim noted that Muslim women are most affected by communal violence, hate crime and hate politics that is spread by the ruling party. “Why are they picking and choosing now? Shouldn’t they ensure equality among and within the community?” he questioned.
The Modi government issued an ordinance in September 2018, criminalising the practice of instant divorce among a section of Muslims. During the ongoing winter session, the government is attempting the passage of Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2018, in Parliament. The bill provides for a three-year jail term for those found guilty of following the practice. The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and opposition parties including Congress and Trinamool Congress, are protesting the bill. The Opposition stated that the BJP government is attempting to “penalise” Muslim men instead of “empowering” women.
“Since five decades many women’s organisations are against easy divorce which is being referred to as triple talaq now. The CPI (M) is also against it. The poor women and destitute are the worst affected. But, it should not be criminalised. It is a civil matter,” the Raiganj MP added.
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