‘Modi Is The Necessity Of The Moment’
Of late, he is in the news for the Supreme Court verdict on the abolishment of ‘Triple Talaq’ as he was at the vanguard for being the counsel for the All Indian Muslim Women Personal Law Board. Something very similar to what Raja Ram Mohan Roy did for the Hindus in the 18th Century; he has always supported reforms within Muslims and is now taking rapid strides for eradicating polygamy, which is practised by certain sections of his community.
“The real hero is not me, but the ordinary Muslim women who fought against ‘Triple Talaq’, which was nothing but an oppressive custom. I hail PM Modi for helping these women to secure the judgment of the Supreme Court in their favour. According to the law of nature, certain elements are engendered out of necessity.
Modiji is the ‘Necessity of the Moment’ and was destined to arrive for this era. So there is no doubt that whatever is happening in the country now, is the necessity of the moment and will not change with my wishes or hopes. There is a saying that when the moments are really tough, people blame the almighty because He is creating that scenario. But I don’t blame any particular moment.”
Despite his past affiliation with the Congress, he categorically maintained that the former Prime Minister’s (Manmohan Singh) comments on favouring a certain section of the population (Muslims) were not in the best interest of the nation’s social development.
Delineating his thoughts further, he maintained, “This constitution doesn’t permit any positive discrimination on the basis of religion. The only ground for its adoption is ‘social and educational backwardness’. If that doesn’t work out, then either you adopt a new Constitution completely. By giving reservations to a minority community, it will only create bad blood between me (Muslims) and my neighbours (Hindus).”
It may be recalled that Arif Mohammed Khan quit the Congress in 1986 because of his differences with the leadership over its handling of a case regarding maintenance for a divorced Muslim woman. He resigned from position of Minister of state protesting against the Congress Government’s (under Rajiv Gandhi) stand on Shah Bano case in 1986. He defended Supreme Court judgment on Shah Bano case in Parliament. He is actively involved in policy making and Islam reforms.
Vehemently opposing the ‘Triple Talaq’, he had earlier said that it should be punishable with three years in jail. He had also advocated abolishing of All India Muslim Personal Law Board. He highlighted, “If ‘Triple Talaq’ can be challenged, then unrestrained right to polygamy should also be challenged. Nowhere in Quran, does it allow anyone to practise such oppressive customs. It is a landmark judgment which alters people’s mind-sets and inspires women everywhere.”
He had earlier told BW Businessworld, “Even in Muslim countries like Pakistan, if a man wants to take another wife, he has to go to the court and satisfy the judges that these are reasons why I want a second wife. But, in India, it is totally unrestrained. So, if one provision can be challenged and court can declare it null and void because it is arbitrary, so can another provision.”
Arif Mohammed Khan was speaking at BW Dialogue on 2nd September, 2017.
avishek@businessworld.in
@Avicrimson
