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On Tuesday, the Indian parliament approved a bill to bring an end to the Muslim practice of instant divorce, popularly known as “Triple Talaq”. The bill was finally ushered in after two years of contemplation and debate, after Supreme Court’s verdict that the triple talaq violated the constitutional rights provided to Muslim women in India.
The Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian parliament, passed the bill for Muslim Women, under the Protection of Rights on Marriage, garnering a 99-84 approval from parliament members. The practice of instant divorce will now be punished with a sentence of up to three years in prison, alongside a heavy fine.
Modi said, “The abolition of Triple Talaq will contribute to women empowerment and give women the dignity they deserve in our society.”
Moreover, as per the legislation, Muslim men will now be obligated to provide financial support to their wives, and should the couple choose to separate, the custody of the children will be awarded to the mother.
Read more: India’s Supreme Court Strikes Down ‘Instant Divorce’ for Muslims
India Rejoices: Muslim Men Harassed?
India’s Hindu nationalist party, BJP, is touting the recently-passed bill as a victory for India, and the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, believes that the bill has provided justice to Muslim women, while Muslim opposition leaders lashed out that the bill can be used to harass and discriminate against Muslim men.
Tweeting from his official account, Narendra Modi stated, “An archaic and medieval practice has finally been confined to the dustbin of history! Parliament abolishes Triple Talaq and corrects a historical wrong done to Muslim women. This is a victory of gender justice and will further equality in society. India rejoices today!”
An archaic and medieval practice has finally been confined to the dustbin of history!
Parliament abolishes Triple Talaq and corrects a historical wrong done to Muslim women. This is a victory of gender justice and will further equality in society.
India rejoices today!
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 30, 2019
Modi thanked all the political parties and MPs who supported the bill and allowed it to be passed, stating that “they have risen to the occasion and this step of theirs will forever be remembered in India’s history.”
I thank all parties and MPs who have supported the passage of The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2019 in both Houses of Parliament. They have risen to the occasion and this step of theirs will forever be remembered in India’s history.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 30, 2019
The Indian Prime Minister went on to say, “This is an occasion to salute the remarkable courage of those Muslim women who have suffered great wrongs just due to the practice of Triple Talaq.”
Modi added, “The abolition of Triple Talaq will contribute to women empowerment and give women the dignity they deserve in our society.”
Read more: Indian Muslims unite to save their Religion and Country
This is an occasion to salute the remarkable courage of those Muslim women who have suffered great wrongs just due to the practice of Triple Talaq.
The abolition of Triple Talaq will contribute to women empowerment and give women the dignity they deserve in our society.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 30, 2019
Asadudin Owaisi, President of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, condemned the bill for discriminating against Muslim men and marginalizing Muslim women. The Muslim opposition leader argued that the bill was not in the favor of Muslims, and will be used as a pretext to harass Muslim men.
Owaisi noted, “This law is against Muslim women & marginalizes them even more. The law forces a woman to stay in a marriage with an imprisoned man who’d verbally & emotionally abused her. It puts the burden of proof on Muslim women & forces her into impoverishment.”
This law is against Muslim women & marginalizes them even more. The law forces a woman to stay in a marriage with an imprisoned man who'd verbally & emotionally abused her. It puts the burden of proof on Muslim women & forces her into impoverishment
— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) July 30, 2019
Asadudin Owaisi added, “Existing laws provided stringent & comprehensive safeguards to ALL women – regardless of faith. Laws such as the Domestic Violence Act provide for multiple remedies to women who may have faced verbal, emotional or physical abuse in a domestic relationship.”
Read more: Muslim Women Welcome Govt’s Triple Talaq Stand, Want Ban At The Earliest
Existing laws provided stringent & comprehensive safeguards to ALL women – regardless of faith. Laws such as Domestic Violence Act provide for multiple remedies to women who may've faced verbal, emotional or physical abuse in a domestic relationship
— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) July 30, 2019
Let's not forget that the triple talaq judgment had its root in a case that didn't involve any Muslims. In Prakash v. Phulavati (2015), J Goel & Dave, were dealing with the question of a Hindu daughter's share in her father's property.
— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) July 30, 2019
The Hon'ble bench then suo-motu registered triple talaq under Muslims Personal Law as a separate PIL. However, the case before their Honours did not concern 3T or Muslim Personal Law at all
— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) July 30, 2019
Owaisi stated, “It is a testing time for those of us who believe in the rule of law & the guarantees of non-arbitrariness, freedom of religion & right to distinct culture enshrined in the Constitution.”
It is a testing time for those of us who believe in rule of law & the guarantees of non-arbitrariness, freedom of religion & right to distinct culture enshrined in the Constitution
With sabr & our resolute faith in Allah, we will overcome these challenges, inshallah
— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) July 30, 2019
Labeling the newly ushered bill against the Muslim norm of instant divorce, Asaduddin Owaisi noted, “Triple Talaq Bill should be seen only as one part of many attacks on Muslim identity & citizenship since 2014. Mob violence, police atrocities & mass incarceration won’t bog us down. With a firm belief in the Constitution, we’ve withstood oppression, injustices & denial of rights.”
Read more: Triple talaq unconstitutional, violates rights of Muslim women: Allahabad HC
#TripleTalaqBill should be seen only as one part of many attacks on Muslim identity & citizenship since 2014. Mob violence, police atrocities & mass incarceration won't bog us down
With a firm belief in the Constitution, we've withstood oppression, injustices & denial of rights
— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) July 30, 2019
Addressing the discussion on the Triple Talaq Bill in the Indian parliament, NK Premachandran, leader of the Revolutionary Socialist Party, questioned the credibility of the bill. He questioned, “Why are you not enforcing imprisonment for divorce in the Hindu and Christian communities? Why alone in Muslim community? This is discrimination against Muslim community.”
NK Premachandran, Revolutionary Socialist Party during discussion on #TripleTalaqBill: Why are you not enforcing imprisonment for divorce in the Hindu and Christian communities? Why alone in Muslim community? This is discrimination against Muslim community.
(Photo: ANI) pic.twitter.com/mXc6gv2BvU
— The Times Of India (@timesofindia) July 25, 2019
Meanwhile, BJP leaders, journalists and civil society members are congratulating India’s Muslim women on the passage of this historic bill, which provides them relief against patriarchal values. Many have ushered forward to congratulate and commend Narendra Modi’s hardliner stance against Muslim laws, which have remained unchanged across the subcontinent for centuries.
Read more: Modi govt reintroduces Muslim ‘triple talaq’ divorce bill, to tough opposition
I congratulate my Muslim sisters for taking their spirited fight against inequality and for justice to its logical end. From Shah Bano to Shahryar Bano India has come a long way for women rights – but indeed all it took was a humane PM Sh @narendramodi ji to back #TripleTalaqBill
— Nupur Sharma (@NupurSharmaBJP) July 30, 2019
This is the first step. The ultimate aim has to be #UCC. Nothing more. Nothing less.
Uncompromising. Unfailing. And absolutely unapologetic about that. The 84 votes against the #TripleTalaqBill prove that consensus building must be tried, but only to a certain point.
— Yashwant Deshmukh 🇮🇳 (@YRDeshmukh) July 30, 2019
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