Thousands of Muslim women march in Mumbai for roll-back of Triple Talaq Bill
Mumbai: Thousands of Muslim women, most of them in 'burqa' staged a silent protest march at Azad Maidan here on Saturday, demanding withdrawal of the bill banning 'Triple Talaq' passed by Lok Sabha last December.
Organised by the All India Muslim Personal Law Board's (AIMPLB) Women Wing, and described as the "first, exclusive Muslim women's protest rejecting the Bill and supporting the Sharia Laws" it elicited huge response from Muslim women across the country.
Though the march was silent, the women carried placards loudly proclaiming their demands with slogans opposing the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017,and expressing their support to protect the Shariah.
"Our demand is very clear. Take back the Triple Talaq Bill. It is anti-women, anti-gender justice, anti-children, will destroy families, push Muslim husbands into jail and damage the Muslim society," said AIMPLB Women Wing President Asma Zehra.
She further alleged that the Triple Talaq Bill not only criminalises Talaq, but moves a step towards the Uniform Civil Code which the RSS wants to impose.
"The Indian Constitution has granted the people the freedom to practice their religion but this government wants to deprive the citizens of their constitutional right," she added.
AIMPLB executive member Monisa B. Abidi said that instead of bringing in a law that criminalises 'Triple Talaq', the government should have asked the community to bring in changes and internal reforms.
Jamat-e-Islami Hind's Arshia Shakeel pointed out that the Islam is "a complete way of life, Muslims are blessed by Sharaih Law which is a complete code in individual and social matters and the community is satisfied with it.
Lawyer Munawwarai Alware said Muslim women "strongly favour Shariah Laws" and cannot be cheated with hollow slogans.
Other prominent women who addressed the gathering included AIMPLB's Sumaya Sajjad Nomani, Zakiya M. Farid Shaikh, Ishrath Shahabuddin Shaikh, Saleha Sohel, Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamat's Aaeen Raza, SNDT University's Prof Shabana Khan, Shia Jamaat's Farah Jafri, and Moballigha Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat's Salma Rizvi.
Procession coordinator and media in-charge Maulana Burhanuddin Qasmi said around 200,000 women from all over India joined the protest while convenor Salamat Ullah Nadvi said that they highlighted the fact that the Bill, instead of protecting Muslim women, would deprive them of even the rights which they are currently entitled to and be detrimental to their interests.
Various political parties like AIMIM and Muslim leaders from different parties have supported the Muslim women's demands raised in today's protest.
"It is very rare that so many thousands of women from different sects in the Muslim community have joined together to protest against this Bill," said Congress legislator and ex-minister Naseem Khan.
Later, a delegation of women leaders met Governor C. V. Rao and submitted a memorandum to be forwarded to the President, Prime Minister and others at the centre, Maulana Qasmi said.
The gathering adopted four resolutions:
"1. We strongly oppose the 'Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017' and demand that the government must take it back,
- We support Muslim Personal Law and will not tolerate any changes in the Muslim Personal Law matters.
- We oppose all moves to bring in Uniform Civil Code (UCC), in India.
- 99 per cent Muslim women have full faith in the leadership of All India Muslim Personal Law Board."
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Maharashtra government reduces Ladki Bahin Yojana stipend for 8 lakh beneficiaries: Report
Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has reportedly cut down on the stipend received by eight lakh beneficiaries of the Mukhya Mantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana.
Under the revised structure, the beneficiaries will receive Rs 500 instead of Rs 1,500 per month because they already receive Rs 1,000 under another government scheme, the Namo Shetkari Mahasanman Nidhi (NSMN), as reported by the Times of India.
The Ladki Bahin scheme has the stipulation that its beneficiaries can avail other government schemes only if the benefit is capped at Rs. 1,500 per month.
“There has been an ongoing scrutiny. First to scan the applications that were sent by the districts to the state headquarters. And then to re-scrutinise the eligible cases,” TOI report quoted an official as saying.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had earlier said he expected the number of beneficiaries to reduce by 10-15 lakh after the scrutiny process. "We are not changing criteria or funding, just ensuring only eligible ones get the stipend," he claimed.
The Opposition remarked that the state government is cheating the women who voted them to power.
The Mahayuti government had launched the Ladki Bahin Yojana in July 2024, where it provides Rs 1,500 per month to eligible women under the scheme. In its poll manifesto ahead of the state Assembly elections, the Mahayuti had promised to increase the amount to Rs 2,100. However, this commitment has not been fulfilled.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra’s debt projection is Rs 9.3 lakh crore for 2025-26. The outlay for the Ladki Bahin scheme was reduced from Rs 46,000 crore to Rs 36,000 crore in the 2025-26 budget.
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