VOICES: THE TRIPLE TALAQ BILL DEBATE

Ravishankar Prasad: “We are not looking at this from the lens of politics but from the lens of humanity. The jail term is upto three years and quantum of punishment will be decided by the magistrate and we have left it for the court to decide and its conscience. We are being told that we are breaking families, but when women were being abandoned, this argument found no place. Under Section 304B, if you try to burn a bride, then you will be imprisoned.”

Asaduddin Owaisi: “If a Muslim man says triple talaq, then how is it valid when the court has done away with it? This law will give handle to Muslim men to further subjugate women. They want to achieve their dream of putting Muslims behind the bars. Instead, create a corpus of ~1000 crore for Muslim women.”

MJ Akbar: "We don’t claim that all evils be remedied with this bill, but there is a dictum 'never leave the good in search of the ideal'. We will be on the path to gender progression through this bill. All laws must be compliant with fundamental rights. I know someone will say tomorrow that I am talking nonsense, but I don’t care. Let Allah decide. In the name of talaq, lakhs are forcing women to live in an atmosphere of fear. This atmosphere of fear will end with this law. And when this ends, there will be a new life in this country.”

Manish Tewari: “Congress supports the Supreme Court's judgment. Triple talaq should definitely go but as far as the bill is concerned, it will be scrutinised by the Parliamentary committee. If there are difficulties in the provisions that will be dealt with. Congress is definitely supporting Triple Talaq Bill but the provisions will be scrutinized.”