The Rajya Sabha, on Tuesday, passed the triple talaq bill, four days after the Lok Sabha had cleared it to out-law the divorce practice of pronouncing the word Talaq three times in a go prevailing in Muslim community.
The triple talaq bill got 99 votes in favor while 84 votes went against it in the final voting in the Upper House after four hours of debate.
The Congress and a few in opposition were against the provision of criminalizing triple talaq in the bill and sought a few amendments in it.
They wanted the bill to go to the select committee. It was their prime demand, but, it failed to get the support of the house by 100:84 votes.
In a significant change of position on the bill, BJD voted for the bill while JDU and AIADMK- the NDA allies, staged a walkout.
TRS and PDP abstained from voting. Quite a few members of SP, BSP, AITMC, and even of Congress gave a miss. Leaders like Sarad Pawar and Praful Patel of NCP also did not show up in the house. These parties and members use to have a position against the bill.
The Muslim Women bill makes practicing triple talaq as a method of divorcing illegal, and, qualifies the husband for a three-year jail term.
Under the proposed law, the talaq victim woman can claim subsistence allowance from her husband.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that the abolition of Triple Talaq will contribute to women empowerment and give women the dignity they deserve in our society. He has thanked all the parties and MPs who have supported the passage of the bill.
The Home Minister Amit Shah also congratulated Muslim women by saying, “On the passage of this Bill, I congratulate the Muslim sisters across the country on getting rid of the Triple Talaq curse. This act will free Muslim women from the curse of this regressive practice”
Leave a Reply