Post victory in Lok Sabha, challenge awaits for govt in Rajya Sabha

Muslim women walks in the old quarters of Delhi on Thursday. R S Prasad said the bill is about womenu00c3u0083u00c2u00a2u00c3u0082u00c2u0080u00c3u0082u00c2u0099s dignity. Representation pic/AFP

New Delhi: Lok Sabha on Thursday passed the bill to ban triple talaq, with the government asserting that the law was required as hundreds of cases of instant divorce have come to the fore despite Supreme Court striking down the practice.

Replying to the debate on the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2019, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the law was also required to prescribe punishment for those violating it. A move by the Opposition to stall the bill at the time of its consideration was rejected by a division vote of 303 for and 82 against. Several amendments moved by the Opposition were defeated.

The clause in the bill which criminalises the practice with a jail term of up to three years for the husband was passed by a division of 302 in favour and 78 against. Opposing the bill, Asaduddin Owaisi (AIMIM) said there are nine types of talaqs in Islam. He asked if the husband is jailed, then how will he be able to pay the maintainance 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. In a ligher vein, he said, "We Muslims marry for one life, not forever and ever."

Targeting the BJP, Owaisi said if the Centre was so keen to give justice to the Muslim women, it should also think about the Muslim women who were "raped" during the 2013 Muzzaffarpur riots and yet there is no conviction in those cases.

The bill was passed by voice vote amidst walkout by Congress, Samajwadi Party, Trinamool Congress, DMK among others. The bill was passed by the 16th Lok Sabha but could not pass the Rajya Sabha hurdle. Now the bill will face scrutiny of Rajya Sabha, where the NDA does not have the majority.

Prasad questioned the opposition to jail term for the husband who gives instant triple talaq. "When Hindus and Muslims are jailed under dowry law or Domestic Violence Act, no one objects. What is the objection in penalising the practice," he said.

Rajya Sabha passes RTI amendment bill

The Rajya Sabha on Thursday passed Right to Information (Amendment) Bill, 2019, that gave the Centre powers to decide salary and service terms of the statutory body head and its members. The Upper House witnessed high drama when it negated a motion for sending it to a house panel. Almost the entire Opposition walked out of the House.

Parliament session extended till Aug 7

The government has decided to extend the Parliament session till August 7, Parliamentary Affais Minister Pralhad Joshi said in the Lok Sabha on Thursday. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs here, according to sources. The session was scheduled to end on July 26.

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