Lok Sabha passed the triple talaq bill on thursday and as soon as the bill was passed, the government of Narendra Modi indicated that the some of the amendments suggested by the opposition can be accomodated in the bill when the bill comes up in Rajya Sabha for discussion.
The divorce given by pronouncement ofiinstant talaq or talaq-e-biddat has also been prohibited by the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017. The said bill was passed by the majority of parties in the opposition including Congress.
The bill provided that a women can approach a magistrate for seeking subsistence allowance for herself and her minor children. The bill also provided that all kinds of instant triple talaq such as verbal, written or by any electronic means such as email, text message or whatsapp shall be illegal and void.
The discussion on the bill was initiated by the Law Minister, Ravi Shankar Prasad. He stated that the bill is historic as it ensures equality and gender justice. It was further stated that the bill has been introduced on the recommendation of Supreme Court which banned the triple talaq through its judgement in August.
Mr. Prasad stated that in 2017 alone there have 300 cases of the triple talaq in India out of which 100 have been reported after the Supreme Court’s judgement. Opposition parties including Congress and Left parties contradicted the bill and said it is a poorly drafted bill. They further said that the government has not contacted the stakeholders and draconian penal for including the penal provision of three years imprisonment.
Opposition Parties that the government is having ulterior motives in pushing through the bill and the provision of bill will alienate the Muslim community from the mainstream. It was recommended by the opposition that the for an improved legislation the bill should be transferred to a parliamentary standing committee.
The bill has been supported by the Congress, Left, Nationalist Congress Party and other leading parties. However, the bill was opposed by the Rashtriya Janata Dal, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, All India Muslim League and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM).
Sushmita Dev, Congress MP said that the congress party supports the bill but they however against the fact that the government through this bill is trying to convert divorce in a criminal offence whereas the divorce is a civil matter. She further stated that the imprisonment of husband would shut all the doors for reconciliation of marriage.
Asaduddin Owaisi of AIMIM said that the government through this bill is trying to take away the personal laws of muslims and is trying to demonise the entire Muslim Community.
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