SC judgment on Muslim women claiming maintenance will bring social harmony: Union Minister Giriraj Singh

Patna (Bihar) [India], July 10 (ANI): Hailing the Supreme Court's judgment enabling Muslim women to claim maintenance from their husbands, Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Wednesday said that such a decision is necessary as it brings social harmony and is equal for all religions.
Union Minister Giriraj Singh, while speaking to ANI said, "There is a need for growth, for development. There is a need for a strict rule, which is equal for all religions. Who does not follow this decision, their voting rights should be ended, they should be deprived of all government facilities, legal action should be taken against him. Such a decision will bring social harmony".
BJP spokesperson Shazia Ilmi also lauded the decision and said that it is a relief for all Muslim women.
"This is a historic decision and a relief for all Muslim women. Under this decision, any divorced Muslim woman can demand a maintenance allowance u/s 125 of CrPC. It will be mandatory to fulfill that demand...Supreme Court has also said that this is not a donation of any kind and a divorced woman can approach the court and demand maintenance under this section...I think this is the result of the prayers of a lot of Muslim women," Ilmi said.
Meanwhile, Maulana Mohammed Shafique Qasmi, Imam of Nakhoda Masjid said that the decision is against the Islamic Shariat law.
"There is already a law in Shariat, there is already a system that whoever gives a divorce to his wife, he provides 'mahr' to her, 3-month Iddat expense to her. Quran says - provide her gift as per your status and bid her farewell respectfully...This maintenance thing is against Islamic Sharia. There is no such system in Islam. This will be excessive on men...Now that the Supreme Court has pronounced an order, nothing can be said about it. Everyone has to accept it. But we can say that the decision is against Shariat law," Qasmi said, reacting to the SC judgement.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that Section 125 Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) applied to all married women including Muslim married women and they can claim maintenance from their husbands under these provisions.
The top court also echoed that time has come for Indian men to recognise the role and sacrifice of 'homemakers' who are strength and backbone of an Indian family and they must provide financial support to her by having having joint accounts and ATMs
A bench of justices BV Nagarathna and Augustine George Masih ruled that Section 125 CrPC, which deals with wife's legal right to maintenance, is applicable to all women and divorced muslim female can claim maintenance from her husband under it.
"Section 125 of the CrPC applies to all married women including Muslim married women. Section 125 of the CrPC applies to all non-Muslim divorced women," the top court said. (ANI)