Triple talaq issue reaches Parliament; here's what victims have to say

The Supreme Court by a 3-2 decision had struck down the centuries-old practice of instant triple talaq among Indian Muslims as unconstitutional, manifestly arbitrary and void in law.

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NEW DELHI: Hailing Narendra Modi government for raising voice against the injustice meted out to women through triple talaq, the victims of the 'evil' practice hoped the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights and Marriage) Bill, which is to be introduced in Parliament on Thursday, is passed by the legislatures.

One of the triple talaq victims from Agra thanked PM Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for coming forward and call for the quashing of triple talaq.

While hoping for the triple talaq bill to be passed in the Parliament, Faiza Khan said, “We are really happy that the procedure started by Modiji and Yogiji is going to succeed. This day will be more significant in Muslim women's life than Eid or Bakrid.”

Another victim of the centuries-old practice Huma Khayanat said, “Women, who have been divorced and those who are threatened with such practice would be benefited from this law.”

A bill seeking to criminalise the practice of instant triple talaq among Muslims is set to be introduced in the Lok Sabha on Thursday.

In a landmark judgment, the Supreme Court on August 22 by a 3-2 decision struck down the centuries-old practice of instant triple talaq among Indian Muslims as unconstitutional, manifestly arbitrary and void in law.

PM Modi and Adityanath had advocated for the rights of Muslim women and had called for the abolition of the triple talaq and nikah halala.

PM Modi had repeatedly urged people belonging to the Muslim community not to "politicise" the issue and requested them to come forward with a "solution".

Terming triple talaq a "bad social practice" PM Modi had earlier said that such practices can be ended by social awakening.

Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will introduce the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights and Marriage) Bill that seeks to protect the rights of married Muslim women and prohibits "any pronouncement (of divorce) by a person upon his wife by words, either spoken or written or in electronic form, or in any other manner".

The bill proposes to make the triple talaq practice a punishable offence and describes it against constitutional morality and gender equity.

Anyone who pronounces instant divorce "shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years and a fine", the bill proposes.