Author: Manjari Mishra
Publication: The Times of India
Date: November 20, 2005
URL: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1301505.cms
The IT revolution is proving to be a bane for Muslim women in western Uttar Pradesh. Its latest victim - 24-year-old Saba Khaliq from Moradabad found herself at the "receiving end" of modern technology when her husband sent her an SMS with the dreaded words "talaq, talaq, talaq".
Reports reaching here said local maulvis in Moradabad have given their sanction to the high-tech split after a hastily convened meeting. Saba, however, refuses to give up so easily.
Saba's SMS divorce comes two months after Tarannum from Muzaffarnagar in UP was given talaq over the telephone by her husband from Saudi Arabia, leaving her struggling to save her marriage after the maulvis said the split was valid.
SSP Moradabad G K Goswami told TOI that Saba on Thursday lodged a complaint against her husband Suhail and his family under sections 498 (a) 323, 406 IPC, pertaining to mental and physical abuse, and also under the Dowry Act. Police, he said, was investigating the charges and will take suitable action.
According to Saba's complaint, the couple got married on June 3, 2005. Though her family gave her gifts and jewellery worth Rs 3 lakh, her in-laws and husband demanded a motorcycle and Rs 2 lakh.
As Saba had lost her father, her mother was unable to meet the demands, leading to Saba being abused by her in-laws and husband, the complaint said.
Things came to a head when on October 25, Suhail allegedly beat her up so brutally that she miscarried and was taken to Dr Archana Goyal's hospital in Moradabad for treatment.
Saba claims her mother-in-law Arifa, sisters-in-law Zeba Ikram and Arshia and Suhail refused to take her back from the nursing home.
After a short stay at her mother's house in Lakdiwalan, Saba came back to her marital home only to face a hostile reception, says the complaint.
The situation worsened fast. On November 8, Suhail and her family drove her out of the house in the night after another torture session.
The husband and his brother Nanhe, she alleged, also came to visit her in the morning to ensure that she did not go to the police.
The woman, however, slipped out of the house and got the medical examination of her injuries done. The medical report has been filed along with her plaint no 115/2/05, the SSP confirmed. Then Suhail disowned his wife by claiming that he had divorced her by sending an SMS recently.
While the split was endorsed by local maulvis, the All-India Women's Muslim Personal Law Board says it's completely illegal. Shaista Amber, president of the board told TOI, "Talaq by SMS was un-Islamic".
The AIMPLB had rejected internet divorces as invalid during its meeting in December 2004 and AIWMPLB nominee in Moradabd, Ghazala Anjum, was organsing support for Saba, Ambar said.
Noted Delhi-based lawyer Kirti Singh raised more fundamental questions. "The use of triple talaq is wrong and should not be resorted to.
I feel it is high time that the unilateral right of divorce should be abolished," she said. "This is a novel way of adapting technology to perpetuate violence against women. The wife can challenge the talaq and we will support her," she said.