Sreelatha Menon/Trissur

VP Suhara has no time to explain how she became a fiery activist for women’s rights. “My life’s experiences made me an activist,” says VP Suhara of Kerala, who most recently made headlines when she staged an agitation at Jantar Mantar, Delhi, in support of the amendment of the succession clauses in the Shariat Application Act, 1937, to remove inequalities and injustices faced by Muslim women.

“I will kill myself if a decision is not taken on this matter, ‘’she said in Delhi, forcing Suresh Gopi,  the Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas and the Minister of Tourism since June 2024. Who hails from Kerala, to pacify her with promises to take up the matter in the Parliament.

The law is being contested in the Supreme Court and has been moving through a prolonged judicial journey, wearing out the patience of activists like Suhara.

“Since our life is grounded in religion, most of us women consider our unpleasant experiences in life as fate, especially when we see it as a universal experience of all Muslim women,” says Suhara.

Suhara, who returned from Delhi without completing her mission, is not one to be bluffed by promises made by political parties, nor is she the one to give up her fight easily. “I know very well that the political parties will not displease religious leaders by listening to women activists like me. But I will not give up,” she says.

Recalling her early days as an activist for women’s rights, she says that she and fellow activists visited families in the late 80s to talk to women and spread awareness. ‘Those were the days of the feminist movement in Kerala. We saw that we were all suffering because of anti-women laws,” she says.

“Ever since we started speaking about these issues, more and more women have gotten emboldened to speak up about their problems.’’

“I can say that I was one of those who created the environment for women to open up,” says Suhara. 

She feels that the new generation is more aware of their rights. Social media and the self-help group movement of income-generating Kudumbashree have helped empower women in Kerala.

“I am just one of the many people who felt the need to speak up and demand change at a time when no one dared to ask.. So we formed a body called NISA, which, along with the Quran Sunnah Society, moved the court to challenge the succession laws in our (Muslim) Personal law as being against women.”

“The petition in the Kerala High Court did not help us as the ruling government refused to support it. So, we had to appeal in the Supreme Court, where it is currently lodged awaiting a ruling,” she says. The chief minister told the court that he had spoken to Muslim representatives and they found nothing wrong with personal law,” she said.

Political parties will never go against Muslim or any religious body, she adds, accepting the sad reality of politics.

She says the Uniform Civil Code or the new bill on Triple Talaq doesn't solve the problems faced by Muslim women. “We don't want these. The Triple Talaq Bill makes triple talaq a crime and sends the man to jail. “If you do that, then the divorced wife is also denied maintenance. Now, the woman is forced to withdraw the case against her husband so that her financial rights are restored. So, these laws do not take into account the needs of the Muslim women,’’ says Suhara.

Recently, an organisation founded by Suhara called The Forum for Gender Justice for Muslim Women split over differences.”

I'm alone now. I'm fighting a lone battle,’’ she says, refusing to elaborate.

“All I'm asking for is an amendment to the law. In the present situation, a widow gets just half of the man’s wealth. Parents can't even write a will and ensure the security of their children. Our kids can't get what their parents have earned for them,’’ she says. “Only a third of our wealth goes to our children. The rest is to be distributed as per the Sharia instructions to male relatives,” says Suhara.

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"My fight is not over till the court gives a favourable ruling on the succession law and the Parliament amends it in favour of Indian Muslim women,’’ says Suhara.