'Why Not In India If Pakistan Has It': NCP MLA Sana Malik Issues Clarification After 'Demanding' Polygamy In India

Last Updated:June 25, 2026, 14:10 IST

Sana Malik clarified that her remarks were limited to the existing legal position under Muslim Personal Law and the constitutional protection available to religious practices.

A sharp exchange over the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), polygamy and Muslim women’s rights has triggered a fresh political debate in Maharashtra, with BJP MLA Devyani Pharande, SP leader Abu Azmi and NCP MLA Sana Malik staking out contrasting positions during the ongoing Monsoon Session of the Maharashtra Assembly.

The issue surfaced in the Assembly on Tuesday when Nashik BJP MLA Devyani Pharande pushed for the implementation of a Uniform Civil Code in the state, arguing that it was necessary to ensure justice and protection for women affected by polygamy and triple talaq.

Speaking to the media, Pharande said she had raised cases in which Muslim women had approached the police after allegedly being forced by their husbands to accept triple talaq and threatened if they refused. Referring to three FIRs lodged in Nashik, she said the police had acted firmly but stressed that the larger concern was ensuring compensation for affected women, their children’s education and their socio-economic security.

Pharande argued that Maharashtra should follow states such as Goa, Assam and Uttarakhand in moving towards a UCC. She maintained that the issue was not about opinions or sentiments, but about ensuring equality under the Constitution.

“It is the government’s job to ensure equality for all. This country runs on the Constitution, not on anyone’s opinions. UCC means uniformity for all, and the law should be the same for everyone," she said.

Pharande further said that the minister had responded positively in the Assembly and indicated that a committee would be formed to examine the issue and take steps towards implementing the UCC and banning polygamy.

Her remarks drew a political response from Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azmi, who accused the government of using the UCC debate to polarise communities and target Muslims instead of focusing on development.

Azmi argued that if a law is meant for the entire country, it should apply equally to everyone without selectively targeting one community while making exceptions for others. He said that while criminal and civil matters are already governed by common laws, personal religious practices such as marriage should remain outside government interference.

He also criticised the use of terms such as “Love Jihad", calling them fabricated and politically motivated, and warned that any attempt to introduce laws that directly infringe upon religious freedoms would be strongly opposed.

The debate intensified further in the Assembly on Wednesday when NCP MLA Sana Malik entered the discussion. She said polygamy is permitted under Muslim personal law and referred to Pakistan while discussing its legal framework.

“Pakistan has implemented laws which is said in Quran, and if the laws are implemented here, then none of us will have a problem with it. In Islam, we follow what is said in Quran. If something is written in Quran, and if to follow that, Pakistan has brought implementation, then India must also follow and we demand for it" said Malik.

Her remarks drew a sharp response from BJP minister Nitesh Rane.

“Perhaps our sister Sana has forgotten that she is sitting and standing in a Hindu-majority nation, that she is an MLA here, and not sitting in the Parliament of Pakistan," said Rane.

The comments soon sparked controversy, prompting Malik to issue a clarification. She said her remarks had been misconstrued and insisted that she had not cited Pakistan as a model for Indian Muslims.

Explaining her position, the Mumbai MLA said her intervention came only in response to Devyani Pharande’s remarks in the Assembly, where Pakistan was referenced in the context of polygamy laws.

“Pakistan should not be used as a reference point to guide Indian Muslims. If any guidance is to be given, it should come from the Quran, because Pakistan itself follows principles that it derives from Islamic teachings," Malik said.

“As Muslims and as Indians, we have nothing to do with Pakistan, nor do we consider Pakistan an ideological model," she added.

Malik further clarified that her comments on polygamy were limited to the existing legal position under Muslim Personal Law and the constitutional protection available to religious practices.

“Under Muslim Personal Law, polygamy is permitted. The Constitution of India grants citizens the right to practice their religion. In that context, if such practices are carried out within the framework of the law, they are permitted," she said, adding that Pakistan had not created a separate framework but had merely followed principles already rooted in Islamic teachings.

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