Triple Talaq: Farooq Abdullah tells Centre not to interfere with Muslim Personal Laws

Jammu: Warning that Muslims across India would not tolerate any “interference” with Muslim Personal Laws, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah on Monday said the religious panel has the veto to look into the issues concerning the Sharia law. “Every religion has its way. If someone forces something on Hindu religion, will they accept it? In Islam, there is a committee that looks into the matters of Sharia law. If someone wants to force anything, Muslims will not accept it,” he told reporters in Jammu. For the first time in India’s Constitutional history, the Centre had on 7 October opposed in the Supreme Court the practice of triple talaq, ’nikah halala’ and polygamy among Muslims and favoured a relook on grounds of gender equality and secularism. Many Muslim bodies, including the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, have opposed the Centre’s stand. [caption id=“attachment_3057168” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Farooq Abdullah. Reuters[/caption] The National Conference president also reiterated his demand for holding talks between India and Pakistan in the wake of heightened tension on the borders. “A way for dialogue has to be found, Atal Bihari Vajpayee did it. There is a no way forward but only talk, we have fought four wars. At present, borders have been vacated and people are suffering. Dialogue has to be started if not today, but after sometime,” he said. On asked about his son Omar Abdullah being subjected to secondary immigration check upon his arrival in US today, the NC leader said the US cannot catch real terrorists, but harass innocent people. “They (US) cannot catch real terrorists, but harass those who have nothing to do with terrorism,” he said. Farooq said that in the past too, the US had done the same with former President APJ Abdul Kalam and former defence minister George Fernandes, who were subjected to extra screening during their visit to that country. In a series of tweets, Omar Abdullah earlier said that he had to spend two hours at the airport upon his arrival in New York as the US authorities subjected him to “random secondary immigration check”. “Thrice in three visits, the randomness is growing tiresome now. I just spent TWO hours in a holding area and this happens EVERY time. Unlike @iamsrk I don’t even catch Pokemon to pass the time,” he said. Omar is in New York to speak at an event organised by students of New York University.