Sushil Modi questions Nitish Kumar's silence on triple talaq

Patna: Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi on Friday questioned the silence of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD chief Lalu Prasad on the Allahabad High Court's observation that "triple talaq is cruelty against Muslim women".

He also said that his party is on board with the court's observations.

"It is baffling that Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad have chosen to maintain stoic silence on the raging issue of triple talaq for the sake of vote bank politics," Modi alleged.

Asking Kumar if he had taken consent of the male population before granting 50 percent reservation to women in the state's panchayats, he said if not, why wasn't he supporting Muslim women in their crusade against the menace which was opposed by 90 percent of them.

Claiming inconsistency in the chief minister's stand on empowerment of women, the BJP leader accused him of not backing Muslim women in their fight against triple talaq and polygamy for the sake of vote bank politics.

He claimed this amounted to leaving the fate of women in the hands of hardliners of the minority community.

Modi also reminded Kumar that he had imposed prohibition in the state on the demand of women at a function last year.

"If you can impose prohibition in Bihar on the call of a few women, why don't you muster courage to oppose triple talaq?" he said.

Reformist measures were not implemented after taking consent of those opposing it and if it was so, the practise of 'Sati' would not have been done away with, he added.

Stating that the Allahabad High Court has observed that Muslim Personal Law was not above right to equality and fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution, Modi asked the ruling grand alliance leaders to clarify their stand on triple talaq.