Modi raising triple talaq' issue for political gains: AIMIM chief Owaisi

Thane: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of “converting the triple talaq issue into a political tool” ahead of the Assembly elections in some states.

“Around 7.36 crore Muslims are married in the country and they have not divorced. Hardly one per cent of Muslims have gone for ‘talaq’. But, (Narendra) Modi is making this a tool in his ‘Mann ki Baat’ for political gains in view of the forthcoming elections,” he told a public meeting at Kausa in Mumbra township.

The Law Commission recently sought public views on abolition of the practice of ‘triple talaq’ among Muslims and on Uniform Civil Code, triggering a feverish debate in various quarters.

Meanwhile, attacking the RSS, Owaisi said the country got freedom due to the efforts of “all” and not because of the “Sangh Parivar”. He demanded “justice” for Ishrat Jahan, a local girl, who along with others, was allegedly killed in a fake encounter by the police on the outskirts of Ahmedabad in 2004.

The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen president also attacked Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for his “mediation” in ensuring the release of Karan Johar’s film ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’ and Raj Thackeray, whose party Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) had opposed its release for featuring Pakistani actor Fawad Khan.

“It is a mockery to suggest that the (army) jawans should get Rs 5 crore,” the Hyderabad MP said in an apparent reference to Thackeray asking filmmakers, who had worked with Pakistani actors, to contribute Rs 5 crore as “prayschit” (penance) money to Army Welfare Fund.