If Islamic nations can regulate triple talaq, why can't secular India: govt

Patna: Defending the Centre's stand on 'triple talaq', Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Friday said when over a dozen Islamic countries were regulating the practice by enacting laws, how could it be considered wrong for a "secular" country like India.

His remarks came a day after the All India Muslim Personal Law Board opposed the Centre's affidavit in Supreme Court on the practice and also boycotted the Law Commission's consultations on Uniform Civil Code (UCC).

"Over a dozen Islamic countries such as Pakistan, Tunisia, Morocco, Iran and Egypt have regulated triple talaq.

Read: Oppose triple talaq, need healthy debate on Uniform Civil Code: Naqvi

If Islamic countries can regulate the practice by enacting law, and it has not been found against sharia, then how can it be wrong in India, which is a secular country?" Prasad told reporters in Patna.

The minister, however, refused to comment on the issue of Uniform Civil Code.

Read: Centre can hold referendum on triple talaq: AIMPLB member

"The Law Commission is considering it and has sought views of various sections of the society. Since it is under their consideration, I have nothing to say," he maintained.

For the first time in India's constitutional history, the Centre had on October 7 opposed in the Supreme Court the practice of triple talaq, 'nikah halala' and polygamy among Muslims and favoured a relook on grounds of gender equality and secularism.

The Law Ministry, in its affidavit, referred to constitutional principles like gender equality, secularism, international covenants, religious practices and marital law prevalent in various Islamic countries to drive home the point that the practice of triple talaq and polygamy needed to be adjudicated upon afresh by the apex court.