DEHRADUN: In Uttarakhand, the marriageable age of girls is likely to be increased whereas an in-depth study is being undertaken to ban traditions like ‘halala’ and ‘iddat’. Both these issues are being seriously considered by the expert committee drafting the Uniform Civil Code in the state.
The final report of the draft will be submitted by the committee to the government within the next fortnight. A senior member of the Uniform Civil Code drafting committee and former IAS Shatrughan Singh told this newspaper, “The committee has also received suggestions that in case of death of an employed son, his parents are eligible for compensation apart from his wife. Even if the wife re-marries, then also they should have a share in the compensation received on the death of the husband.”
“In such a case, if the wife dies, her parents have no support, and then the responsibility of their maintenance should be with the husband. The committee is also brainstorming on all these suggestions,” said Shatrughan Singh.
Speaking to this newspaper, ‘Shahar Qazi’ Mohammad Ahmed Qasmi strongly objected to the suggestions saying, “No one has the right to interfere in Quran Sharif, similarly no one has the right to interfere in ‘iddat’ and ‘halala’.”
“The reason behind the ‘observation’ of the ‘Iddat’ period is to find out whether the woman is pregnant or not and accept the certainty of paternity, the Uttarakhand government, central government or any authority has no right to interfere in this sensitive decision related to Shariat and culture of Muslim society”, Qasmi added.
“There is no acceptance in many Muslim countries on a controversial issue like ‘halala’, its end is in the interest of the society,” BJP spokesperson Ravinder Kumar said.
UCC suggestions