I read Quran from heart and found its divorce rules are strongest and best, said Congress Lok Sabha Member from Bihar in her speech in the House..
WEB DESK / New Delhi
In a thought provoking and powerful speech in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, Congress MP Ranjeet Ranjan strongly opposed the BJP government’s Triple Talaq Bill and pitched for enactment of Quran’s divorce rules, saying they are strong and best.
She said that due to this bill, she read Quran and its teachings about divorce.
“I thank the government that for this bill I read Quran from heart. In surah Nisa, five steps to be taken before divorce are mentioned. Surah Baqrah (Ayat 228-240) talks about divorce, how and why it is given, reasons for wife, reasons for husband. I feel pity that despite Quran’s advanced rules for divorce, you (pointing to Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi) did not make your community aware,” she said.
She stressed that Quranic rules are stronger and best.
“I am proud of Quran. Women have equal rights for divorce as men have. It talks about how relations of two persons and two families are to be maintained. Quran tries to stop divorce through five steps…there cannot be stronger law for divorce than Quran’s,” said Ranjeeta while participating in the debate over the bill.
Countering the government’s points that even after Supreme Court declared Triple Talaq invalid, there have been 477 cases of Triple Talaq, the MP said: “Govt says that even after SC order, there are 477 cases of triple talaq. I want to tell that there are so many dowry deaths despite strong law, Hindu men get other wives even without divorcing the first and thus violate law. Why don’t you discuss this all here? Why targeting only Muslims? If one gives divorce wrongly, why target only Muslim, why not Hindus? After SC order, so many were killed in mob lynching, why don’t you discuss it? In Muzaffarpur (Bihar), 37 girls were raped under your government, your minister supported the accused, why don’t you discuss it? Is it because the victims are Hindu girls? Through this Triple Talq Bill, you want Muslim votes, but you should not be in any illusion that Muslim women will vote you for this rule?”
Ranjeeta, who is Lok Sabha Member of Congress from Supaul in Bihar, opposed the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2018, saying there is nothing in the bill to protect the Muslim women.
“Tell me how are you protecting women in this law? How can a man give support to the woman when he goes to jail and loses job? What protection are you giving to the women? You are taking them out of Muslim Personal Law, their religion and home. This will create rift. You have wrong intention,” said the MP.
She said that if government is insisting on law to regulate Muslim divorce, then it should adopt Quranic rules because they are best and whole Muslim community will accept it.
“If you anyway want to bring law over the issue of Triple Talaq, then I would suggest you to read Quran carefully and enact its divorce rules, whole Muslim community would accept it. You are just playing with the issue of Muslim women. There should not be Hindu-Muslim divide over atrocities of women and domestic issues,” she said.
The Lok Sabha on Thursday evening passed the controversial Triple Talaq bill that criminalises the practice of triple talaq among Muslims, amidst walkout by the Congress and the BJP ally AIADMK as opposition parties attacked the government saying the measure was aimed at political gains in view of the coming general elections.
The bill, which provides for up to three years’ imprisonment for invoking instant divorce by uttering talaq thrice in a single sitting, was passed with 245 in favour and 11 against in a division after rejection of all opposition amendments, after the government turned down demands for referring the bill to a joint select committee for detailed consideration.
The bill will now go to the Rajya Sabha where the government may still find it difficult to push it through.
Opposition members, especially the women MPs belonging to the Congress, NCP and other parties, said that the government had brought the bill with political motives and there was no need to criminalise divorce which is a civil wrong and a social issue.