New Delhi:
A woman in Uttar Pradesh’s Etah was allegedly given triple talaq by her husband over the phone for not returning home on time. In December last year, the Lok Sabha passed the new triple talaq bill with amendments but it failed to pass the Rajya Sabha test. The distressed women told news agency ANI that she promised her husband that she will return home within 30 minutes. “I went to my mother’s house to see my ailing grandmother. My husband told me to return within half an hour. I was late only by 10 minutes. He then called me on my brother’s mobile number and uttered “talaq” thrice. I was completely shattered by his move,” she said.
The woman also accused her in-laws of domestic violence for not meeting their dowry demands at the time of the marriage. “They beat me at times when I am home. I also had an abortion because of their moves. My family is very poor which is why they were unable to give anything to my husband’s family,” she added.
The woman now wants the government to intervene and solve the issue, failing which she has threatened suicide.“Now it is the responsibility of the Government to provide justice to me or else I will commit suicide,” she said. Ajay Bhadauriya, Area Officer Aliganj, Etah, assured that they will conduct a thorough investigation into the matter will take requisite steps in order to resolve it.
The Supreme Court had last year ruled as unconstitutional the divorce procedure known as "triple talaq," in which a Muslim man can instantly leave his wife by simply uttering the Arabic word "talaq" - which means divorce - three times.
Thereafter, the government in September 2018 promulgated an ordinance declaring "triple talaq" as illegal and void, that can be punishable with a jail term of three years for the husband.
Most of the 18 crores Muslims in India are Sunnis governed by the Muslim Personal Law for family matters and disputes.
These laws include the practice of "triple talaq" whereby men can divorce by simply saying "talaq' three times – and not necessarily consecutively, but at any time, and by any medium, including telephone, text message or social media post.
