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The Triple Talaq Bill that was tabled in the Lok Sabha by Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Thursday, 25 July has been passed in the house.
Shortly after it was presented, the bill came under a sharp attack from the JD(U), Samajwadi Party and Congress.
Under the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2019, divorcing through instant triple talaq will be illegal, void and would attract a jail term of three years for the husband.
Prasad said that to allay fears that the proposed law could be misused, the government has included certain safeguards in it such as adding a provision of bail for the accused before trial.
During his speech, Speaker Om Birla asked Prasad not to read from news clippings and name newspapers while referring to instances of instant triple talaq.
Strongly objecting the contentious bill to make the practice of instant triple talaq illegal, NDA ally JD(U) said it will create a lack of trust in the society and walked out of the House.
He was of the view that government should do all that is necessary to create "awareness among the people of this community (minority)."
This society does run with strict laws, he said, adding that everyone is run by customs.
Lok Sabha witnessed high drama when Mohd Azam Khan made certain objectionable remarks against BJP's Rama Devi, who was presiding over the proceedings, leading to uproar with union ministers pressing from an apology from the Samajwadi Party leader.
Participating in the debate on the triple talaq bill on Thursday, Khan made certain observations on a ruling party member.
Rama Devi asked Khan to address the chair and not to look at other members.
Union ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad and Arjun Ram Meghwal also urged the Chair to ask Khan to apologise.
When Khan was asked to do so by Rama Devi, he said he meant no disrespect to her as she was like his "dear sister."
The Congress on Thursday demanded the triple talaq bill be sent to the Standing Committee for review, while alleging that it targets the Muslim community.
Participating in the discussion on the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) bill in the Lok Sabha, Mohammad Jawed (INC) said the intent of the government is not clean and it wants to sideline the muslim community of this country.
He said that more number of Hindu women are being divorced as compared to Muslim women.
BJP MP Meenakashi Lekhi said that this law is not the agenda of the BJP, but it is the agenda of the nation.
She said the opposition parties are not able to digest the fact that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, being a Hindu, is thinking for muslims.
She said that it is a completely wrong view that some members are saying that the Muslim religion is in danger because of this law.
Lekhi claimed that sharia courts were running in Uttar Pradesh when Akhilesh Yadav (SP) was the chief minister.
This remark witnessed argument between Yadav, currently member of the Lok Sabha, and the BJP member.
Hitting out at the Congress for opposing the Bill to make the practice of instant triple talaq illegal, Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the country was suffering because of the "sin" committed by the Congress in 1986.
"On 5 May 1986, there was a very important verdict of Supreme Court on the rights of Muslim women. Back then, in order to make this verdict ineffective the government at that time came out with a law," Naqvi said intervening in the debate on the bill.
He added, “Unlike in 1986, the BJP government is going to come out with a law to make effective the verdict of Supreme Court given recently.”
The bill, he said, is a constitutional commitment and aims at giving rights to the Muslim women.
(With inputs from PTI)
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