Opposition unites to protest against government in Parliament over Rafale Jet deal and Triple Talaq

NEW DELHI: The last day of the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament is expected to be a fiery one as the Narendra Modi government is keen to table the much-debated Triple Talaq Bill in the Rajya Sabha on Friday while the Congress hellbent on opposing the amended legislation.

The Union Cabinet had on Thursday proposed three changes in the Muslim Women Protection of Rights on Marriage Bill, 2017 – first, only the victim, a blood relation or relation by marriage are allowed to lodge FIR in the case, second, the case can be dropped if husband and wife agree to settle their differences and third, a magistrate can grant bail to men found guilty of giving instant triple talaq to their wives.

However, the offence still remains non-bailable. If the amended bill is passed in the Upper House, it will need approval from the Lok Sabha.

On December 29, the Lok Sabha passed the bill which seeks to make instant triple talaq a criminal offence, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government tabled it in the lower house. The Bill proposes a three-year jail term for a Muslim man who divorces his wife in any form of spoken, written or by electronic means such as email, SMS, and WhatsApp.

Triple talaq, or verbal divorce, is practised by a section in the Muslim community to instantly divorce their wives by uttering `talaq` three times. Our party’s position is absolutely clear on this, I will not say anything on this further: Sonia Gandhi on triple talaq bill.

Women treated unfairly in all communities, not just Muslims, even Hindus, Christians, Sikhs etc. In every society, there is male domination. Even Shree Ram Chandra ji once left Sita ji after doubting her. So we need to change as a whole: Hussain Dalwai, Congress MP on Triple TalaqBill.