New Delhi: The controversial triple Talaq bill, which criminalises instant divorce by Muslim men, has been cleared by the Lok Sabha on Thursday.
The bill, which recommends jail term for those Muslim men guilty of divorcing their wives instantly by saying 'Talaq', was passed by a voice vote after day-long heated debate.
A number of amendments moved by the Opposition were defeated. The clause in the bill which criminalises the practice with a jail term of up to three years for the husband was passed by a division of 302 in favour and 78 against.
The JD(U), an ally of the ruling BJP, walked out of the house, saying such a law would create a “lack of trust” in society.
However, passage of the bill in the Rajya Sabha will not be an easy task for the government as the opposition has more members in the Upper House than the treasury benches.
The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) bill was the first draft legislation tabled by the Narendra Modi government in this first session after it took oath of office for a second term in May.
Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad stated in the House during the debate that despite the Supreme Court striking down the practice of instant talaq as illegal and unconstitutional, several hundred cases have been reported.
"When Hindus and Muslims are jailed under dowry law or Domestic Violence Act, no one objects. What is the objection in penalising the practice," he said.
Several opposition parties have bitterly opposed it but the government has asserted that the bill is a step towards gender equality and justice. The Trinamool Congress walked out of the proceedings ahead of the voting, saying it was opposed to the draft law.
The Congress demanded the triple talaq bill be sent to the Standing Committee for review, saying it targets Muslim community of the country. Party leader Mohammad Jawed said the intent of the government is not clean and it wants to sideline the Muslim community of this country. He claimed that more number of Hindu women are being divorced as compared to Muslim women.
Senior BJP leader Meenakashi Lekhi said that this law is not the agenda of the BJP, but is the agenda of the nation. She said that the opposition parties were not able to digest the fact that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, being a Hindu, was thinking for Muslims.
