The Hindu : Opinion / Letters to the Editor : Need for uniform law

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jul 01, 2005

Opinion

Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Need for uniform law

The Darul Uloom Deoband's fatwa that Imrana, who was allegedly raped by her father-in-law, cannot continue to live with her husband makes us wonder whether we are living in the 21st century. It is high time we had a uniform civil law. Only then can women like Imrana live with honour.

T. Darmalingam,
Chennai

Instead of sympathising with Imrana and punishing her father-in-law, clerics have rubbed salt into her wound by issuing an unreasonable fatwa. All right-thinking people should condemn it. The Shariat is being interpreted in different ways by the clerics to enforce their dictates. Unless the Muslim community comes out of their stranglehold, the religion will be looked upon by the rest as backward, fanatical and chauvinistic.

P.V. Raman,
Chennai

The victim is now being victimised by the mullahs and moulvis. If they insist on following the Shariat, they must do so in full. As some clerics in Lucknow have pointed out, the ruling can be justified only if Imrana's father-in-law is also punished under the Sharia law that provides for Sangsar — stoning to death in full view of the public.

S. Mahaboob Basha,
Adoni, A.P.

The accused, if found guilty, would have been executed had the law of the land been strictly in accordance with Islam. Now that Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav has endorsed the fatwa as a well thought-out act, he should arrange for the social security of Imrana and her five children. She had to be separated from her husband for healthy and sound reasons. The next best thing for the community to do is to be charitable towards the unfortunate woman.

M.A. Hakeem,
Hyderabad

The fatwa is shocking and reinforces that Muslim women are the most oppressed. Any edict issued in the name of god should be merciful to the victim. But the fatwa in Imrana's case is barbaric and should be rejected by the entire community.

K.M. Abul Hasan,
Erode, T.N.

It is a shame that while Mr. Yadav has endorsed the edict, Uttar Pradesh Congress leader Salman Khurshid has refrained from criticising it. Both are shirking their responsibility and taking cover behind the Muslim personal law. Obviously, vote banks matter more to the Congress and the Samajwadi Party than does gender justice.

K.R.A. Narasiah,
Chennai

While the innocent victim has been punished instantly, no punishment has been meted out to the offender. Does not the Chief Minister see how irrational, merciless and inhuman, besides being discriminatory, the fatwa is? It would have been better had he kept quiet. The case strengthens the demand for a uniform civil code.

S. Bakthavathsalan,
Chennai

Every Muslim knows that the Shariat prescribes punishment only for the offender and not for victims. Such edicts tarnish the image of Islam. Some people are misinterpreting the Shariat with their authority.

Moina Khan,
New Delhi

The case of Imrana and that of Mukhtar Mai in Pakistan — both victims of rape — bear striking similarities. While both are Muslim, they are also victims who have been further victimised. The state of both shows that women in Islam have still a long way to go before they can say they are equal to men in getting justice. The two cases should serve as a wake-up call to the community as a whole.

Shadaan Alam,
Aligarh, U.P.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Opinion

News Update

Stories in this Section

A partnership on a fast track

Towards sustainable development

A Bill that takes away more than it gives

Health as someone else's wealth

For a new paradigm

India is entering uncharted, risky territory

A deal that is no surprise