National
100 triple talaq cases since SC verdict in August: Prasad (Lead)
New Delhi, Dec 28 (IANS) Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Thursday moved the triple talaq Bill for consideration and passage in the Lok Sabha and said about 100 triple talaq cases had taken place since the Supreme Court struck it down in August this year.
The discussion on the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017 was taken up hours after it was introduced in the pre-lunch session.
Prasad said the Bill was historic, and the issue was not of religion or faith but of “gender justice and gender equality”.
He said the government had hoped the situation will improve after the Supreme Court verdict. The Minister said the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, which has opposed the Bill, had given an affidavit in the Supreme Court saying it would issue an advisory through its website, publications and social media platforms to tell bridegrooms at the time of ‘Nikahnama’ that they would not resort to talaq-e-biddat.
“We had hope. The judgment came on August 22. There were 300 triple talaq cases in 2017 of which 100 had taken place after the Supreme Court verdict. This raises a big question,” Prasad said.
He also referred to media reports on Thursday about an incident at Rampur in Uttar Pradesh in which a woman had been given talaq-e-biddat for waking up late.
“We do not want to interfere in any sharia. It is only about talaq-e-biddat which has been held unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. It has been regulated in Islamic countries. India is a secular country. Should we tolerate injustice to women,” he said.
Prasad urged members not to see the Bill from the political prism. “It should not be constrained by the walls of politics, should not be weighed in terms of religion and not be seen in terms of vote bank,” Prasad said.
Referring to the 3:2 judgment of the Supreme Court which set aside talaq-e-biddat as a manifestly arbitrary practice, Prasad said two judges had termed it unconstitutional, one as illegal and two others had ordered an injunction on triple talaq at least for six months — by when the government should consider steps to initiate legislation on the issue.
The Bill proposes to declare pronouncement of talaq-e-biddat (three pronouncements of talaq at one go) by Muslim husbands as void.
It says the illegal act of pronouncing talaq-e-biddat shall be a punishable offence. There is provision for subsistence allowance from the husband for the livelihood and daily supporting needs of the wife as also of the dependent children. The wife would also be entitled to the custody of minor children.
Prasad said that talaq-e-biddat has been regulated in many Muslim-majority countries such as Bangladesh, Egypt, Malaysia, Indonesia and even Pakistan, “which is a terror state”.
–IANS
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National
Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok
Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.