Advertisment

Lok Sabha passes Triple Talaq law for 3rd time, Rajya Sabha challenge ahead

author-image
PTC News
Updated On
New Update
Lok Sabha passes Triple Talaq law for 3rd time, Rajya Sabha challenge ahead
Advertisment
Lok Sabha on Thursday passed a law making the practice of instant “triple talaq’ illegal and punishable with up to three years in jail for the husband. The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill 2019, popularly known as the “triple talaq” bill will now have to clear the Rajya Sabha hurdle before it can become a law. The “triple talaq” ban is currently being enforced through an ordinance since a bill similar to the present one couldn’t be passed in the Upper House during the tenure of the 16th Lok Sabha. Narendra Modi Government introduced a fresh bill— making “triple talaq” illegal, void and penal -- in June this year after its re-election in May 2019.
While moving the triple talaq bill for consideration, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the legislation was needed for gender equality and justice since, he argued, Muslim women are being divorced by "talaq-e-biddat" despite the August 2017 Supreme Court verdict, striking down the instant divorce. He said, since January 2017, as many as 574 triple talaq cases and since the Supreme Court order, more than 300 such cases were reported by the media. "There have been 345 cases of triple talaq after the judgment till July 24. Should we leave these women on roads?" he said, later adding, "I am a minister in the Narendra Modi government, not the Rajiv Gandhi government." He said the Supreme Court had noted that 20 Islamic countries including Pakistan, Afghanistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Jordan, Egypt and Tunisia had outlawed Triple Talaq. And if they could do it, he asked, why it cannot be done in India which is a secular country? "The Supreme Court has said that Triple Talaq is arbitrary and unconstitutional and asked Parliament to make a law. When we come up with a law, it is opposed. What should our Muslim women do in this situation? Should our Muslim sisters be left ?" asked Ravi Shankar Prasad, adding, "The Indian Constitution is equal for all daughters. So the bill is needed."
During the debate, the Opposition demanded removal of the penal provision calling it ‘discriminatory’ to the Muslim husband. Opposition parties also claimed that the 3-year jail term was not just disproportionate but was also counter-productive. Some other critics suggested that the Bill only targeted Muslim women when the problem of abandoning-wives was not unique to the community. The Congress party said while it opposed “triple talaq” it couldn’t support the Bill in its current “discriminatory” form as it singled out Muslim men and women. Party’s MP from Assam, Gaurav Gogoi said the government should have brought a comprehensive bill to empower women from all religions and sections. Trinamool Congress MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay demanded that the 3-year jail term provision-- which he called “arbitrary and excessive”—be dropped. “A jailed husband can neither support his family nor give maintenance to his separated wife,” he added while demanding that the Bill be referred to a joint select committee.
-
latest-news breaking-news triple-talaq-bill-news triple-talaq-bill-2019 triple-talaq-bill-in-lok-sabha
Advertisment

Stay updated with the latest news headlines.

Follow us:
Advertisment