The Lok Sabha on Thursday passed the contentious Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill 2019, commonly known as the Triple Talaq Bill with a majority of 302 votes in favour and 78 against.
The bill was passed after prolonged debate in the lower house. The triple talaq bill was tabled in the Lok Sabha by Union Law Ravi Shankar Prasad.
Moving the bill for consideration, Prasad said the legislation was a must for gender equality and justice as, despite an August 2017 Supreme Court verdict striking down the practice of instant triple talaq, women are being divorced by ‘talaq-e-biddat’.
Under the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2019, divorcing through instant triple talaq will be illegal, void and would attract a jail term of three years for the husband.
After members of Parliament raised questions primarily on the criminalisation of the bill, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said, “If we provide a provision of bail under the law, the husband can go scot-free when he says he hasn’t given triple talaq.”
He further said the law is not about religion or garnering votes, it is for women empowerment.
ALSO READ: Legislation must for gender equality and justice: Ravi Shankar Prasad on triple talaq
Prasad also said, “There have been 345 cases of triple talaq after the judgment till July 24. Should we leave these women on roads? I am a minister in Narendra Modi govt and not in Rajiv Gandhi govt.”
Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad in Lok Sabha: There have been 345 cases of triple talaq after the judgment till July 24. Should we leave these women on roads? I am a minister in Narendra Modi govt and not in Rajiv Gandhi govt. pic.twitter.com/yzzlTAG2vl
— ANI (@ANI) July 25, 2019
Meanwhile, AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi vehemently opposed the bill to make the practice of instant triple talaq illegal, saying this law has been introduced to push away Muslims from their religion. “Introducing a law will not eradicate social evil,” he said.
यह बिल आईन के बुनियादी हुकूकों की खिलाफत करता है। मैं जब तक जिंदा रहूंगा, इस बिल की खिलाफत करुंगाः असादुद्दीन ओवैसी, एआईएमआईएम #लोकसभा #TripleTalaqBill pic.twitter.com/CqlnC8pux3
— Lok Sabha TV (@loksabhatv) July 25, 2019
NDA’s ally Janata Dal(United) also opposed the Triple talaq bill, in Lok Sabha. JDU MP Rajiv Ranjan Singh said, “This bill will create distrust in a particular community, our party will not support this bill.”
Furthermore, the Congress MPs staged walkout from Lok Sabha in protest against the bill. Trinamool Congress and NDA’s ally JDU also walked out after the vote.
Congress MPs stage walkout from Lok Sabha in protest against #TripleTalaqBill pic.twitter.com/smug4BfbiW
— NewsMobile (@NewsMobileIndia) July 25, 2019
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