The landmark judgement dominated newspapers on Wednesday across the country with media outlets bringing out public’s reaction following the apex court’s ruling. The dailies also carried extensive analyses and break down of the judgement’s pros and cons. 

Though not equal, enthusiastic coverage about the judgement was also visible in local Urdu media outlets. 

Here’s how Triple Talaq judgement fared in prominent Urdu dailies of the country. 

The Inquilab

While carrying a banner headline regarding the Triple Talaq ruling, Mumbai-based ‘The Inquilab’  highlighted the setback received by the Muslim clergy groups who were in support of Triple Talaq. 

In its editorial titled ‘Triple Talaq and Supreme Court’s decision‘, the newspaper, while rejecting the practice of instant Triple Talaq, called upon Muslims to rise above the traditional and customary approach towards issues confronting them and adopt a pragmatic strategy to engage with them. The editorial also blamed the failure of Muslim intelligentsia in creating awareness and mobilizing opinion against the instant divorce practice within the community, so that the issue could have been prevented from being “politicized” and Supreme Court’s intervention.

Roznama Rashtriya Sahara

In a front-page edit piece on the ruling Roznama Rashtriya Sahara carried an analysis of the judgement and argued that people would have been more forthcoming in accepting and implementing the judgement if it had come from the Muslim community itself. It also castigated the obstinacy of All India Muslim Personal Law Board for avoiding deliberations and consensus-building over the issue between various schools of thought on the issue of Triple Talaq. 

The editorial also rued that many “fascist groups” were taking advantage of the Muslim community’s failure to reform the law at its own level, giving them chance to “attack” the religious laws of the community. Besides dedicating the entire front page to the Triple Talaq judgement, the newspaper also published a detailed editorial on its opinion page. 

Roznama Rashtriya Sahara’also published an opinion piece by Aligarh Muslim University Law Professor Shakeel Samdani on the issue. In his article, Samdani argued that now that the government has to legislate on the practice, Muslim groups should sit and deliberate, to come up with a draft of law which is in accordance with the constitution and religious law. While they should also work on to convince legislators, Samdani also argued that Muslim woman should be included in the drafting process.

Hindustan Express

Delhi-based ‘Hindustan Express’ focused on the judgement prominently on its front page. The newspaper carried reactions of various Muslim leaders and religious groups extensively. However, the newspaper didn’t carry any explanatory piece on the judgement except an editorial. 

According to Hindustan Express’s editorial, BJP is trying to take advantage of the SC’s ruling by claiming to be a pro-Muslim women party which saved Muslim women from the sword of Triple Talaq. It also informed that AIMPLB has decided to hold a board meeting next month to discuss further course of action. The editorial also reflected on the multi-religious character of the five-judge constitution bench which ruled in 3:2 majority against Triple Talaq on Wednesday. 

Siasat, Jadid Khabar, Sahafat & Roznama Khabrein 

Other Urdu newspapers like Siasat, Sahafat Jadid Khabar & Roznama Khabrein gave prominent coverage to the SC ruling by carrying various perspectives and reactions of the political leaders and Muslim groups on the judgement. They also carried profiles of the petitioners whose extensive legal fight led to the landmark ruling. 

While all these newspapers didn’t carry any editorial comment on the judgement, ‘Sahafat’ & ‘Jadid Khabar’ carried a similar opinion piece which stated that SC’s ruling was an intervention in the Muslim Personal Law. 

The article authored by Dr Mohammad Najeeb Qasmi gives an extensive overview of the Muslim Personal Law in India and its role in shaping social fabric of the minority community in the country. While Qasmi criticizes instant Triple Talaq in the light of Quran and religious sayings, he also argues the ruling serves the “agenda of right-wing” politics.