Several parties speak up against triple talaq bill

The Muslim Women ( Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill or the triple talaq bill, which was passed by Lok Sabha on Thursday, faced stiff opposition from legislators from across several parties like AIMIM, RJD, BJD, and AIADMK, when law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad introduced it earlier in the day.

The bill makes instant triple talaq illegal and void and has a provision for awarding a jail term of up to three years to the husband.

Introducing the bill, Mr Prasad said it was a “historic day”.

But before he introduced the legislation, several opposition parties opposed its introduction saying it was arbitrary in nature and a faulty proposal. Members from RJD, AIMIM, BJD, Indian Union Muslim League and AIADMK, who had given the notice to opposing its introduction spoke against the measure.

But members of the Congress and the Left, who were also opposing it from their benches, were not allowed to speak as they had not given notice. The TMC, which had opposed the draft bill earlier, was silent.

AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi said Parliament lacks the legislative competence to pass the law as it violated fundamental rights. Mr Owaisi said while the bill talks only about Muslim women being abandoned, the government should also worry about nearly 20 lakh women of various religions who are abandoned by their husbands, “including our bhabhi from Gujarat”.

Muslim League’s E. T. Mohammed Bashir said the proposed law was violative of personal laws and was a politically motivated move. Bhartruhari Mahtab of Biju Janata Dal ( BJD) said while he would not talk about the merits of the bill, its framing was “faulty and “flawed”. He said if the proposed law makes the practice of instant triple talaq illegal and void, how can a person be jailed for pronouncing ‘ talaq- e- biddat’.

A. Anwar Raja of the AIADMK opposed the bill.

Soon after the introduction of the bill was approved, Mr Prasad wondered whether Parliament can remain silent if the fundamental rights of women were being trampled upon. He said the legislation was not aimed against any religion but was framed to provide a sense of justice.