The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, which criminalises instant divorce by Muslim men and seeks jail term for the guilty, was the first draft legislation tabled by the Narendra Modi government in this first session after it took the oath of office for a second term in May.
Several opposition parties, like the Congress, the Trinamool Congress, the JDU and the DMK, bitterly opposed the bill during the debate in the House and demanded that it be sent to a parliamentary committee for scrutiny.
But the House rejected the demand and the bill was cleared by a division of 302 in favour and 78 against. The Congress, the JDU and the TMC had staged a walkout during the voting.
Intense debate over triple talaq
Opposing the bill, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi asked if the husband is jailed, as the bill proposes, then how will he be able to pay the maintenance to his wife while sitting in the jail. “You want to destroy the institution of marriage and bring the women on the road, he said.
Owaisi said when the Supreme Court has banned instant triple talaq then why does the government want to jail Muslim man.
Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi said the SC had not asked the government to make triple talaq criminal offence. If you want to protect Muslim women who are divorced by their husbands, then you should also give protection to Hindu and Parsi women who are deserted by their husbands, Gaurav Gogoi said.
Congress MP Mohammad Jawed alleged that the government’s intent is not clean and it wants to sideline the Muslim community. I request the minister to send the bill to the Standing Committee for review and think of laws for separated women of all communities and not Muslims alone, he said. He said more number of Hindu women are being divorced as compared to Muslim women.
However, BJP MP Poonam Mahajan argued that prevention is better than cure and the proposed legislation is seeking to do the same. She said the bill is not about the empowerment of women alone but it is also in consonance with the government’s motto of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vishwas aur Sabka Vikas’.
In the end the bill was passed by a voice vote, even as several Opposition parties staged a walkout.
