New Delhi: After ruling party had successfully cleared Triple Talaq Bill in Lok Sabha criminalizing a civil law, the Bill will today be forwarded in Rajya Sabha for debating over the bill and passing a legislation regarding the same despite opposition parties like Congress and others proposing for a review by the standing parliamentary committee regarding the bill.
The house is yet to nod to four hours debate of the bill in Rajya Sbaha.
The bill which makes instant triple talaq a criminal offence including three-years jail term for a Muslim who pronounces triple “talaq” instantly to divorce his wife is in debate in India.
Congress and other parties like AIADMK and Biju Janata Dal are proposing the bill to be reviewed by the standing parliamentary committee before passing it in Rajya Sabha. Though BJP ruling Lok Sabha has voluntarily cleared the bill, the opposition still holds power in upper house, Rajya Sabha which helps in approving government bills.
BJP’s own allies like the Shiv Sena and TDP have also asked for the bill to be sent for review.
While sources in Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress said the party did not oppose the bill in Lok Sabha since it knew ruling party would pass the bill even if any party objects to it and now it shall oppose the bill in the Rajya Sabha.
On the other hand ruling party and its allies are determined to criminalize a civil offense passing the triple talaq bill in the winter session.
“We want the bill to be passed without going to a select committee,” said a top ruling party leader adding the party plans to win in the Rajya Sabha “to expose the Congress before the bill is sent to a select committee.”
Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has reportedly attacked Congress for its opposition to the bill calling its stand as a “confused” one. He said, “These days a number of reforms are being brought in. The Triple Talaq Bill is one of them…The Congress takes one step forward and then 10 steps back. The party is confused on Triple Talaq,” adding, “Muslim women are happy, but I don’t know why the Congress is sad.”
While Congress party has repeatedly urged the government to refer the bill to a standing committee that would help protect and safeguard’s Muslim women.
Congress has argued about the repercussions of this bill questioning about the man’s family and their survival after the man is sent to jail for pronouncing “talaq”, also adding the bill would be misused since anybody could register a case and arrest the man.