NCW Chief Rekha Sharma Calls For Uniform Personal Laws For Women Across All Religions

Welcoming an order of the Supreme Court dated June 10 that granted maintenance rights to divorced Muslim women, National Commission for Women Chairperson Rekha Sharma called for consistency in the rights for women of all religions. Speaking to ANI, the NCW chairperson said that inequality in personal laws was deepening, and she asked: why something like alimony that Hindu women got under the Hindu Marriage Act is not to be given to the Muslim women?. The Supreme Court judgment reinstated the fact that discrimination against Muslim women in maintenance questions is against principles of secularism and again a barrier to gender justice.

Sharma said that the Judgment is a land of progressive step and every woman in India, irrespective of religion, is entitled to the protection under the law and support of the law. In fact, she further asserted that the NCW is committed to protecting women’s rights and ensuring justice to all the women of the country.

Sharma also pointed out an incident of abusive remarks against the wife of Kirti Chakra recipient Captain Anshuman Singh. NCW took suo moto cognizance and promptly requested Delhi Police to lodge an FIR against the accused who is believed to be located in Pakistan. The police took cognizance of NCW’s demand for urgent action in the case and commenced an investigation.

Medical officer Captain Anshuman Singh, 26 Punjab Regiment, Siachen Glacier, laid down his life on 19 July 2023 in a fire break-out at an Indian Army ammunition dump in an act of heroic rescue of people. He was posthumously awarded the Kirti Chakra. The decoration was received by his wife Simriti and mother from President Droupadi Murmu.