Triple talaq petitioner Ishrat Jahan joins BJP in West Bengal

Kolkata: Ishrat Jahan, one of the petitioners in the triple talaq case, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the presence of party leaders in Howrah. A state-level programme to felicitate her was yet to be organised. BJP’s state unit general secretary Sayantan Basu told news agency PTI that a state-level programme to felicitate her will be organized. Ishrat was one of the five petitioners in the triple talaq case. Her husband had called off her the relationship by uttering 'talaq' thrice over the phone from Dubai in 2014.

Congratulations to Ishrat Jahan for fighting for the women rights and against the regressive practise of Triple Talaq. Thank you PM Shri Narendra Modi ji for giving equal rights to women by passing the law against Triple Talaq. #TripleTalaqBillpic.twitter.com/tJ29Y8AJez

— Locket Chatterjee (@me_locket) December 30, 2017

Speaking at the induction, Ishrat said, "I like the BJP. It supported me so I am supporting it in return. I am thankful and respect PM Modi for taking up our cause. I am extremely happy that the bill is passed in Lok Sabha. Thankfully, other women would not have to meet the same fate as mine." The controversial Islamic practice was struck down by the Supreme Court on August 22. West Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh, who is touring various districts in the state, said he had also come to know from party sources that Ishrat had joined the BJP in Howrah. Ishrat had written to Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and her Bihar counterpart Nitish Kumar, seeking protection for herself and her two children after Supreme Court delivered a landmark verdict by striking down the controversial practice on August 22 this year.