Lok Sabha passes triple talaq bill, sterner test awaits in Rajya Sabha

NEW DELHI: In a historic but politically contentious move, the Modi govt used its big majority within the Lok Sabha to cross a bill criminalising triple talaq amongst Muslims even as sections of the opposition demanded adjustments within the proposed regulation and a small minority rejected the legislation.
Though no opposition celebration demanded a vote within the Lok Sabha because of NDA numbers in addition to reluctance to openly oppose the proposed regulation, the federal government is bracing for a more difficult numbers sport within the Rajya Sabha where it lacks a majority and the opposition may just insist on vetting by means of a parliamentary panel.

The Lok Sabha passed the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill amid a demand from the opposition that the "criminalisation" clause be scrutinised by means of a parliamentary panel and regulation minister Ravi Shankar Prasad's vociferous defence that the House needed to make a choice from procedures and the cries of justice from Muslim women.

Rejecting the opposition's objections on grounds similar to legal process being uncalled for in a civil contract like marriage, Prasad mentioned the Dowry Prohibition Act, kid marriage regulations and the adultery regulation have been all related to marriage but invited legal motion. The same must be the case with triple talaq within the gentle of the Supreme Court ruling it unconstitutional and judges at the bench calling for legislative motion, he added.

"As far as maintenance is concerned, it will be at the discretion of the magistrate. An accused will not get bail from the police station but can seek bail in a magistrate's court," Prasad clarified.

Though Congress functionaries have expressed reservations over criminalisation of triple talaq with the regulation offering for three-year imprisonment, the celebration's chief within the Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, mentioned the celebration supported the proposed regulation. The celebration's stance within the Rajya Sabha will likely be a very powerful to whether the bill becomes regulation or is referred to a parliamentary panel, a process that can consume several months.

Asked in regards to the fate of the bill within the Rajya Sabha, Prasad later mentioned the federal government used to be inspired by means of the lack of reinforce for amendments moved by means of AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi, learn as an indication that Congress and different "secular" parties won't push the problem past making some extent.

While BJP used to be accused of creating political capital by means of "targeting" Muslim non secular practices, the ambivalence of opposition parties used to be very best mirrored by means of Trinamool Congress's determination to keep away from the talk, fielding no speaker in any respect. This wonder element used to be attributed by means of resources to Trinamool leader Mamata Banerjee's view that a silent majority of Muslim women supported the regulation. The West Bengal celebration had adversarial the draft bill.

As Prasad initiated the discussion, fireworks began early with the opposition wondering the bill's advent. BJD chief Bhartruhari Mahtab mentioned the regulation used to be flawed because it put unwarranted discretion within the palms of police and made submission of evidence of an oral triple talaq daunting.

BJP's Meenakshi Lekhi mentioned "politics" had saved India from reforming triple talaq in spite of 22 Islamic nations having achieved so. She mentioned triple talaq used to be no longer associated with religion and pointed to the regulation in opposition to the practice of "sati". Lekhi mentioned Muslim women had a brother in PM Narendra Modi to handle their considerations.

Reservations of the opposition have been identified but in what seemed as additional warning on their phase, speakers chose to open arguments clarifying that they supported the bill as did Sushmita Dev of Congress and functionaries of CPM, SP and NCP, amongst others.

Congress and different parties expressed reservations in regards to the "criminal" clause within the legislation which they dubbed as too abrupt for a commonplace practice which used to be felony until lately. Other parties too voiced similar opposition.

However, their questions became tricky after the All India Muslim Personal Law Board rejected the bill in toto — with the political parties risking being lumped with the conservative Muslim frame within the public mind as a piece of opinion sees the problem with regards to gender equality.

The political fencing used to be glaring as BJP again and again wondered Congress on its report on empowerment of Muslim women, with speakers at common intervals invoking the Shah Bano case which had observed the Rajiv Gandhi govt beat a retreat at the factor of maintenance for divorced Muslim women.

Junior foreign minister M J Akbar cited an anecdote to cite Jawaharlal Nehru's reason why for no longer shifting at the empowerment of Muslim women, that he "did not find the opportune time".

While Congress and others caught to clause-specific reservations, secularists in Akhilesh Yadav's SP and Lalu Prasad's RJD wondered the surprising burst of empathy for Muslim women amongst BJP leaders. They mentioned BJP used to be missing when Muslim women shed tears over the Babri demolition and all the way through a polarising debate on "kabristan-shamshan" and "Eid/Diwali" prompt by means of Modi all the way through the UP elections.