Amplifying the misplaced outrage against the Triple Talaq ordinance which was approved by the Cabinet, making triple talaq or talaq-e-biddat void and illegal, a Minister in West Bengal government who is also the state president of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, Siddiqullah Chowdhury said that the Constitution is subservient to the Quran.
Siddiqullah Chowdhury, the Minister of Mass Education and Library in the government led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee pronounced that the Quran will prevail over the Constitution if any constitutional provision or law contradicts the Quran. “For us, our holy scripture, the Quran Sharif, is supreme and if any constitutional provision or any law contradicts the Quran, then our scripture will prevail and not the law or Constitution,” Chowdhury was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.
He went on to blame the BJP government for playing the ‘religion card’ and the ‘constitution’ and reiterated that the ordinance will have no effect on the Muslims.
“Whatever tricks BJP may play, they will not be able to influence Hindus or Muslims. In 2019, they are on their way out. The ordinance is just a way of winning Hindu votes, which they will not succeed. Hindus and Muslims will throw them out of power,” the state minister added.
This is not the first time that the controversial minister has lashed out against the triple talaq. In August 2017, the minister has also called the Supreme Court verdict outlawing triple talaq as ‘unconstitutional’.
We had also reported how the little-known TV actor, Ajaz Khan had reiterated the similar belief in January this year, that he will choose Quran over Indian Constitution ‘any day any time’. His controversial statement had got approval from the Aam Admi Party’s Ved Prakash, Congress’ recent ally Hardik Patel and none other less- Pakistan.
The cabinet approving an ordinance which makes triple talaq illegal and a punishable offence though comes as a significant development in ending the regressive practice of instant triple talaq prevalent among the Muslim community in India, it has not been well received by a number of Muslim organisations in the state who are planning protests against the same.
The all India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi too had protested the passing of the Ordinance calling it “unconstitutional”.
