By Aman Sharma ET Bureau Aug 23-2017
NEW DELHI: The triple talaq judgment of the apex court has made BJP appear "gender-just" and will buttress PM Modi's image as a progressive leader since he invested personally into the issue, party insiders say.
"The PM raised the issue at least half-a-dozen times publicly, including from the ramparts of the Red Fort a week ago and for the first time during the UP election campaign. He depicted that he was personally invested in bringing Muslim women out of despair," a senior BJP functionary told ET.
He said the party was convinced that the PM's words rang a bell among the Muslim women electorate in UP, bringing it victory even in seats with heavy Muslim concentration.
The government's strong support in SC to the petitions of Muslim women is expected to be one of the major poll planks of BJP in the run up to 2019 elections. "Electorally and politically, the judgement will further benefit BJP," another party leader said.
"That this is a historic judgment which could have been set right by Congress but the party failed to do so while Modi managed will remain etched in history for many years to come," said a senior party leader.
Government officials speaking on the condition of anonymity said some 10 groups of Muslim organisations had met the PM and senior ministers in last five months to discuss the issue.
"At one such meeting with Muslim leaders under the umbrella of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind in May, the PM was clear that the Muslim community should not allow triple talaq to be politicised," an official said.
Members of AIMPLB, the body in favour of the practice, however, said they were never called for any consultation. Minority affairs minister MA Naqvi said the decision of the government to meet the Muslim groups was based on the need to uphold the constitutional right of Muslim women.
"This is not about religion, it is about reforms. Most groups we met were in favour of the abolition because it is about gender equality," he said. BJP's Bhupendra Yadav said: "Marriage is as much about duty as much it is about right. Over the years the Indian society has fought all social evils which threatened the dignity and life of women," Yadav said.
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