The Triple Talaq Bill has been passed in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday even though the ruling BJP does not enjoy a majority in the Upper House. However, things became pretty easy for the Modi government as several opposition MPs either abstained from the voting or staged a walkout resulting in a 99-84 score in the favour of the government.
BJP’s NDA allies AIADMK and JD (U) staged a walkout while the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) abstained from voting. From the opposition, NCP’s Sharad Pawar, Praful Patel, four Congress MPs and two from the Samajwadi Party (SP) did not turn up for the voting.
Earlier in the day, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad while introducing the bill in the Upper House reiterated the Centre’s stand that it (Triple Talaq) was a “matter of gender justice, dignity and equality”.
The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2019 that prohibits divorce by pronouncing talaq thrice in one go was passed with 303 votes in favour on July 25 in the Lok Sabha.
After the passing of the bill, Union Minister of Law and Justice Ravi Shankar Prasad, “Today is a historic day. Both the Houses have given justice to the Muslim women. This is the beginning of a transforming India.”
Senior Congress leader Raj Babbar said, “Main samajhta hoon ki is desh ke andar kisi bhi family law ko lekar ek bahot bada jhatka hai (I believe that to make a family law into a criminal law is a blunder in this country). A civil law has been made a criminal law. It’s a historic mistake.”
The Supreme Court had in August 2017 declared “triple talaq” unconstitutional and in violation of Article 14 of the Indian Constitution, which provides for equality before the law and directed the government to enact a law on the issue.