Ghulam Nabi Azad said in Islam, marriage is a civil contract and the government is trying to give it a “criminal face” through the proposed legislation.
New Delhi| Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad on Tuesday hit out at the BJP saying the triple talaq bill was “politically motivated” and its sole aim was the destruction of Muslim families by making them fight legal cases and go bankrupt.
Objecting to the criminal provision leading to imprisonment for three years for Muslim men for instant triple talaq, Azad said it was like sending someone to jail for hurling abuses or making threats in a fit of rage as it is often seen in relationships.
“I request you to send this bill to Select Committee (Rajya Sabha). The Select Committee will discuss it. It will see what needs to be removed from the bill and what had to be retained,” Azad said.
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Participating in the debate on ‘The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2019’, the senior Congress leader alleged the real objective behind bringing the Bill was the destruction of Muslim families.
He claimed that the objections raised by him earlier have not been addressed by the government, and instead only “cosmetic surgery” has been done.
Claiming that the proposed legislation was “politically motivated”, he said it will lead to discord in Muslim families and society, and if the government wants to listen to Supreme Court it should also bring a law on lynching and not resort to selective implementation.
Azad said in Islam, marriage is a civil contract and the government is trying to give it a “criminal face” through the proposed legislation.
Opposing the Bill, he said a law should not be made to “finish one particular religion” and claimed that the “cat has come out of the bag”.
He said the government should not target one section by framing an “unconstitutional” law but instead provide 33 per cent reservation to women for their empowerment, the way Congress government had earlier brought in the reservation for women in panchayats, corporations and local bodies.
He sought to know if the government will provide sustenance allowance to women whose husbands would face prison under the provisions of the proposed legislation.
“This bill is politically motivated. This (bill is such that) minorities remain engaged in personal conflict. Husband will hire a lawyer against wife and wife will hire a lawyer against the husband.
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“They will sell their land or home to fight the case… The wife and children will be on the roads and after the husband is released from jail he will commit suicide or become a dacoit or thief or start begging,” Azad said.
Triple Talaq according to Supreme Court is null and void, Azad said, wondering how Muslim men after staying in jail for three years will go home and live peacefully with their wives.
Accusing the government of being selective in honouring the Supreme Court order, Azad asked Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad if he would implement all the minority judgements given by the apex court since 1947.
Azad accused the government of “doublespeak” and said it is not just Muslim women, but also Hindu, Christian and Jain women who need empowerment.
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