Vargha Poralli
16th July 2007, 11:07
Even though this is some what an old news I myself was notified until I have read about it very recently.
India has a very peculiar situation when it comes to the rights of Muslim Women.
Indian muslims in civil matters do not come under the normal Indian civil Laws they have their own personal laws. In case of divorces a man does not need any consent from his wife for divorce he just have to say Talaaq five times and he gets a divorce. The Muslim personal law board does a little for the benefit of women even for them to get alimony after divorce.
In 1980's the Indian supreme court in a case filed by a Muslim Woman called Shah Banou who was divorced in this way overturned this rule decreeing her husband to pay alimony. This caused a outrage among the Islamic Clerics who saw it as a breech in their authority over the lives of Muslims. Indian government under Rajiv Gandhi's congress passed an legislation to liquidate the Supreme courts order in the name of protecting the Muslim's rights(under the veil this means harvesting votes of Muslim men). This is an example.
Now the Muslim women have started to fight against their oppression by forming their own Jammats(Religious councils which formally administers the Personal Law for Muslims). This is an very progressive developement given the cultural barriers that is put upon the women.
This is a very welcoming development IMO. It is very good to see women start to fight for their own rights. It is a step forward for sharpening the Class Struggle in India.
Source (http://www.countercurrents.org/gender-anand020904.htm)
India has a very peculiar situation when it comes to the rights of Muslim Women.
Indian muslims in civil matters do not come under the normal Indian civil Laws they have their own personal laws. In case of divorces a man does not need any consent from his wife for divorce he just have to say Talaaq five times and he gets a divorce. The Muslim personal law board does a little for the benefit of women even for them to get alimony after divorce.
In 1980's the Indian supreme court in a case filed by a Muslim Woman called Shah Banou who was divorced in this way overturned this rule decreeing her husband to pay alimony. This caused a outrage among the Islamic Clerics who saw it as a breech in their authority over the lives of Muslims. Indian government under Rajiv Gandhi's congress passed an legislation to liquidate the Supreme courts order in the name of protecting the Muslim's rights(under the veil this means harvesting votes of Muslim men). This is an example.
Now the Muslim women have started to fight against their oppression by forming their own Jammats(Religious councils which formally administers the Personal Law for Muslims). This is an very progressive developement given the cultural barriers that is put upon the women.
This is a very welcoming development IMO. It is very good to see women start to fight for their own rights. It is a step forward for sharpening the Class Struggle in India.
Source (http://www.countercurrents.org/gender-anand020904.htm)