Aligarh: Decades after the Shah Bano case stirred a nationwide debate on sharia law in the context of Muslim women’s rights, a 47-year old women, was orally divorced through “triple talaq” by none other than a sitting judge of a district court here.
An angry Afsha Khan has shot off letters to the Chief Justice of India and the Chief Justice of the Allahabad high court after Aligarh’s addition al district Judge. 59-year-old Mohd Zaheeruddin Siddigul, pronounced the ‘talaq’ in a fit of anger Afsha has said in her plea that injustice has been don e by a person “who is entrusted with the responsibility to procure justice for all”. Alleging that she was also tortured by the judge and his family members, Afsha has sought that they should be put behind bars to give “a right message” to society.
When TOI contacted Siddiqui about his “oral talaq” and allegations levelled against him, he said. “We could not reach a compromise, so according to sharia I gave her divorce” Last year the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AINPLB) had said that there was no scope of change In the triple talaq’ system. It had also rejected the suggestion by some Muslim outfits to build a consensus on making a three- month ‘notice period mandatory before divorce. “Though as per Quran and Hadith, ‘triple talaq’ is a crime, but once uttered the process would be considered complete and cannot be changed.” AIMPLB spokesman Maulana Abdul Raheem Qureshi had said then. In 1986. The Rajiv Gandhi government passed a law to overturn the Supreme Court’s Shah Bano verdict that had granted Muslim women life- long alimony rights with condoms. The Aligarh matter came to the light when Aisha reached out to Maria Alma Umea a rights activist, with a copy of the letters she had sent to the CJI and the Allahabad HC justice. Muar said that the woman has no opt ion left. “The whole case in which a judge is perpetuating such an invalid way of divorcing his wife needs to be brought to light and I will make sure she goes back home because the woman does not want to be separated from her husband. The family is without any help because they don’t know if this divorce is valid.” Ashes ‘Noah’ with Siddiqui was solemnized on August 16, MS at Hotel Palm Tree. Marries Road, Aligarh. ‘The marriage was attended by all family members Including my husband’s sons (from first wife) and others,” Afshasal the letter She has further alleged that she was threatened.
