It is an open secret and is not hidden from anyone that congress which has fought for the independence of the country and which played a big role in the development of India after the freedom is also marred in the politics of minority appeasement as it has been the centre and focal point of congress politics. Thus the congress and its leaders played the politics of Muslim appeasement from the historical case of Shah Bano to Saira Bano case and had done much unwanted politics in both these cases for the v vote bank politics and had done much politicking on the issue to please the minorities so much so that the party stands exposed for its minority appeasement. Congress had also played the selfish and divisive politics which is not in the interests of the country but only has the potential of dividing the people on religious grounds. Union law minister Shiv Shankar Prasad has said that congress still stuck in Shah Bano era. The passage of the triple talaq bill in parliament is a tipping point in the politics as it takes on entrenched vote-bank interests while delivering justice to Muslim women in keeping with the Supreme Court suling. The passage of the ban on triple talaq bill is significant as it makes it punishable. In political terms, it has been vehemently opposed by the pseudo secular political parties. The passage of the triple talaq bill was the defining moment in the country’s polity and society. The law minister said that it is important because while preparing this bill could see the strong reactions among Muslim women. Some said it is Eid and August 15 rolled into one.

I could sense this will be a Shah Bano movement and I did not expect the congress to take the stand that it did.The congress opposed the bill and as usual did much politics of Muslim appeasement on this important piece of historical importance and this is very unfortunate. Those doing vote bank politics had reacted predictably. Congress was running the 1986 Shah Bano case in 2019.The conservatives in the Muslim community were on the same page. In fact congress is doing enough unwanted politics over Shah Bano case as well as on Shayra Bano case and the party sticks to its politics of Muslim appeasement in spite of the party being exposed. The then prime minister and the congress leader Rajiv Gandhi overturned SC ruling protecting Muslim women’s right to maintenance during talaq. In 1986 Indian state headed by Rajiv Gandhi set a dangerous precedent of catapulting to Muslim hardliners. The Mohd. Ahmad Khan vs. shah Bano &others case and the subsequent legislation passed by Rajiv Gandhi government in 1986 is often remembered as a pivotal moment in India’s political history.
It all started when Shah Bano, the 62 year old Muslim women filed a petition in court in April 1978 demanding maintenance from her divorced husband Mohammad Ahmad Khan ,a renowned lawyer in Indore ,MP.As the supreme court upheld the right to alimony in the case ,the judgment generated a political controversy regarding the claim of the judicial overreach in cases that are attached to Muslim Personal law.The historical judgment which had laid the ground for the Muslim women’s fight for equal rights in matters of marriage and divorce in regular courts did not go well within the Muslim community. Rajiv Gandhi succumbed to pressure of Muslim hardliners. Thus Muslim hardliners ,clerics pushed the then Rajiv Gandhi government elected in 1984 to pass the Muslim Women’s (Protection on Divorce Act),1986.This law overturned the supreme verdict in Shah Bano case .This act diluted the apex court verdict and allowed maintenance to a divorced women only during the period of iddat, or till 90 days after the divorce.The Muslim Women Act in 1986 ,virtually pitted women’s individual rights against the right of a religious group and the latter with the street veto power were capable of enforcing the law will over a weak ,minority appeasement government led by Rajiv Gandhi. .Most importantly it took 33years to correct the historical blunder made by congress government of Rajiv Gandhi. In 2019 ,the Narendra Modi government passed the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage )Act
in the parliament of India criminalizing triple talaq and delivered justice to several crore deserted Muslim women just like Shah Bano. Arif Mohammad Khan who was the Minister of State in Rajiv Gandhi government passionately defended the supreme court judgment in the Shah Bano case in the floor of the parliament. But unfortunately congress government of Rajiv Gandhi took a U turn to bring and pass a law to bypass the apex court’s judgment in the shah Bano case and the appeasement politics of the congress continued for vote bank politics. Many years later congress continued to play its Muslim card by opposing tooth and nail the supreme court decision in another important case of Saira Bano. The supreme court struck down instant triple talaq calling it unconstitutional and against the tenets of Islam. Shayara Bano ,36 years old divorcee from Uttrakhand who was the first to challenge the controversial practice of instant triple talaq in the supreme court ,might have brought to fruition though partly a struggle that Shah Bano had started over three decades back to get
Muslim women their constitutional right to gender equality and dignity. This time the supreme court verdict to strike down triple talaq was welcomed by political parties across ideological prism ,social activists, jurists, and Muslim scholars – in a sharp contrast to the vociferous protest that had greeted the apex court judgment in 1985,entitling Shah Bano ,a 62 year old mother of five ,to alimony. Muslim groups had then hit the streets in protest prompting the then ruling congress leaders to join the chorus. The congress still did much appeasement politics on the verdict over the Shayara Bano case only to get the support of the Muslim men and its hardliners only for vote bank politics. Thus the appeasement is clear right from the Shah Bano case to Shayara Bano case and it shows the love of congress for Muslim appeasement.
.However the BJP’s stand on the triple talaq reflected the party’s desire to reach out to progressive elements among Muslims.Only time will tell whether it will pay electoral dividends to the saffron party but it surely created an atmosphere for the judiciary to deliver a historic ruling that will go a long way in ensuring gender justice and equality.Congress should learn to do positive and constructive politics and shun its baggage of politics of minority appeasement for vote bank consideration .This is really bad politics which will go against the congress in the general elections of 2024 and therefore the congress needs to take steps with utmost care and caution as far as it relates to its politics and political relevance. .In the end it can be opined that the congress is playing Muslim appeasement card right from the Shah Bano case to Shayara Bano case and it is most unfortunate and congress should desist from appeasement politics.

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