Santanu Saraswati
Kolkata, January 1—Shah Banu might have lost her battle, but few millions Muslim divorcees, who are left nowhere after their husband uttered “talaq” thrice, are soon to come under the umbrella of government schemes.
And just like setting precedents for other Indian states as well as countries in Indian sub-continent by intuitionalising co-education pattern of education in the state-run madrasas, West Bengal state minority welfare & madrasa education department, is all set to set an example for others by bringing every Muslim divorcee women under social protection and welfare schemes.
“Though the project is still under lots of considerations, it would not only take care of their life, at the same time would make arrangements for social protection and education for their children. And we would be the first in the Indian sub-continent to make it possible for them,” state minority welfare & madrasa education department minister, Abdus Sattar told Hindustan Times, on Monday.
The conditions, even after 61 years of independence, this section of the community were never touched by any government department. The Muslim woman, who had to hear this five-lettered word thrice, just to forgo all her rights and wisdom of a bond, neither have any protection under Muslim personal law, nor protected by the Constitution to get her dues.
“In most of the cases, they have to run their families either by begging or by doing odd jobs. Even the women’s commission refuses to fight for their cases, thinking that it could give birth to an unwanted issue. These women neither can return back to their parental home, nor can demand any place at their in-laws’ place. This is simply unthinkable in a civilised society. The Holy Quran speaks about equal rights,” Sattar added.
The state government has found that a large number of minority school drop outs are children of single parent. They have to leave their education mid-way, only because their divorced mother were denied with any financial compensation. “The state government doesn’t want any children to leave their education for want of money. We are thinking of ensuring their education along with providing a roof above their head. Making legal provision would further complicate their issue and would create unnecessary debates. We don’t want divorcee women to meet the fate of Shah Banu,” the minister said.
According to a highly placed state government official with the minority welfare department, the numbers of Muslim women getting divorced by their husbands are on the rise in the state. Though the numbers of divorce cases among Muslim couples are still under control in Kolkata, the situation is quite alarming in the districts. “Only Murshidabad records 3 lakhs of divorced women, according to a recent survey made by a non-governmental organisation working in the field of minority welfare and education. The survey report also held Malda, Murshidabad, North 24 Pargana and South Dinajpur among the top four districts where cases of Muslim women getting talaq are on the rise. One can blame illiteracy or poverty for this, but this is truth,” the official said.
But what the state government is probably not thinking of doing is to provide financial assistance to these section of the minority community. “A cash compensation of Rs 25,000 or Rs 50,000 can never bring them out of penury. We are thinking more than that so that this deprived unfortunate section could lead a life of respect,” Sattar said.
EOM
Kolkata, January 1—Shah Banu might have lost her battle, but few millions Muslim divorcees, who are left nowhere after their husband uttered “talaq” thrice, are soon to come under the umbrella of government schemes.
And just like setting precedents for other Indian states as well as countries in Indian sub-continent by intuitionalising co-education pattern of education in the state-run madrasas, West Bengal state minority welfare & madrasa education department, is all set to set an example for others by bringing every Muslim divorcee women under social protection and welfare schemes.
“Though the project is still under lots of considerations, it would not only take care of their life, at the same time would make arrangements for social protection and education for their children. And we would be the first in the Indian sub-continent to make it possible for them,” state minority welfare & madrasa education department minister, Abdus Sattar told Hindustan Times, on Monday.
The conditions, even after 61 years of independence, this section of the community were never touched by any government department. The Muslim woman, who had to hear this five-lettered word thrice, just to forgo all her rights and wisdom of a bond, neither have any protection under Muslim personal law, nor protected by the Constitution to get her dues.
“In most of the cases, they have to run their families either by begging or by doing odd jobs. Even the women’s commission refuses to fight for their cases, thinking that it could give birth to an unwanted issue. These women neither can return back to their parental home, nor can demand any place at their in-laws’ place. This is simply unthinkable in a civilised society. The Holy Quran speaks about equal rights,” Sattar added.
The state government has found that a large number of minority school drop outs are children of single parent. They have to leave their education mid-way, only because their divorced mother were denied with any financial compensation. “The state government doesn’t want any children to leave their education for want of money. We are thinking of ensuring their education along with providing a roof above their head. Making legal provision would further complicate their issue and would create unnecessary debates. We don’t want divorcee women to meet the fate of Shah Banu,” the minister said.
According to a highly placed state government official with the minority welfare department, the numbers of Muslim women getting divorced by their husbands are on the rise in the state. Though the numbers of divorce cases among Muslim couples are still under control in Kolkata, the situation is quite alarming in the districts. “Only Murshidabad records 3 lakhs of divorced women, according to a recent survey made by a non-governmental organisation working in the field of minority welfare and education. The survey report also held Malda, Murshidabad, North 24 Pargana and South Dinajpur among the top four districts where cases of Muslim women getting talaq are on the rise. One can blame illiteracy or poverty for this, but this is truth,” the official said.
But what the state government is probably not thinking of doing is to provide financial assistance to these section of the minority community. “A cash compensation of Rs 25,000 or Rs 50,000 can never bring them out of penury. We are thinking more than that so that this deprived unfortunate section could lead a life of respect,” Sattar said.
EOM
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