Lok Sabha passes Triple Talaq Bill
After many members of Parliament raised questions on the Triple Talaq Bill questioning its focus on Muslim women, Union Law Minister Rabi Shankar Prasad Thursday replied that no other law deals with the triple talaq. “This law is not about religion or garnering votes. It is for women empowerment,” Prasad said. The law minister took a hit at the Opposition and said that the Opposition does not want to scrutinise the law but reject it altogether. This is the first time that the bill will be tabled in the 17th Lok Sabha by the BJP government after coming back to power.
The triple talaq bill was tabled in the Lok Sabha by Prasad today. A heated debate took place between the Centre and the Opposition over the contentious bill. While the government defended the bill, members of Opposition termed the bill as politically motivated and against the Supreme Court rules. Calling the bill as “anti-Islam”, AIMIM Asaduddin Owaisi said introducing a law will not eradicate a social evil.
The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill 2019, which aims to criminalise instant triple talaq, was introduced by Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, last month. Prasad had introduced a fresh bill in this regard to ban instant triple talaq in the Lok Sabha, saying it would help protect the rights of Muslim women. The bill seeks to replace the ordinance passed by the previous government in February after a similar bill could not be passed in the Rajya Sabha.
In Rajya Sabha, a discussion is underway over the RTI amendment Bill. The Opposition parties had met Wednesday and identified as many as seven Bills which they want sent to Select Committees for scrutiny.