Government tables Triple Talaq Bill in Lok Sabha, Congress, other opposition parties oppose bill 

New Delhi: Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, on Friday, introduced a new bill to make the practice of triple talaq or instant divorce, practiced in the Muslim community, illegal, in the Lok Sabha saying rights of Muslim women will be protected.

While quoting Article 15 of the Constitution, he said the law is to give justice to women who were victims of instant talaq.

The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2019 will replace an ordinance issued in February by the previous BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government. The bill had failed to clear the Rajya Sabha test earlier.

Most opposition parties – Congress, JDU, YSRCP, and BJD – were opposed to stringent provisions like jail term for the husband. They contended that a penal provision cannot be introduced in a domestic issue that's essentially civil in nature and that the bill, in its current form, would only end up victimising the Muslims.

While opposing the move, MP Shashi Tharoor said, “There is no procedural safeguards in the bill, refer it to a standing committee ... it is a discriminatory bill.”

Meanwhile, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief and Lok Sabha MP from Hyderabad Asaduddin Owaisi also questioned the government on how it intends to provide maintenance for the woman. Owaisi added, “It’s a discriminatory bill and does not meet the objective it claims to meet.”

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