Breaking his silence on the hugely contentious issue of triple talaq, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday denounced the Muslim practice and deprecated attempts to politicise the issue.

“The issue of talaq has come up. Just like if any Hindu commits female foeticide he will have to go to jail, similarly what is the crime of my Muslim sisters that someone says talaq over phone and her life is destroyed,” he said at a rally in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh.

Urging TV news channels to not turn triple talaq into an between Hindu and Muslim, or between the BJP and other parties, Modi said in its submission to the Supreme Court, the Centre had clearly stated that there should not be any atrocity on women and no discrimination on the basis of religion.

“The government has put forward its position. Those who want to digress from triple talaq are instigating people...in the country, lives of Muslim women cannot be allowed to be ruined by triple talaq,” he said.

The Prime Minister asked the crowd if the rights of Muslim women should not be protected, and if they should not get equal rights. “I am surprised that some political parties of the country, in their lust for vote bank, are hell-bent upon committing injustice to women in the 21st century. What kind of justice is this?”

“Politics and elections have their own place but getting Muslim women their rights as per the Constitution is the responsibility of the government and the people of the country,” he said.

Asking the media to not turn the issue of triple talaq as a matter between the government and the Opposition, Modi said, “The debate should be between knowledgeable persons aware of the Quran. There are educated Muslim women who can put their views forth.”

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