Andalib Akhter /New Delhi
The Women wing of All India Muslim Personal Law Board, AIMPLB has termed the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill 2018 also known as Triple Talaq Bill as inhuman, anti-women, barbaric and meant to damage the family and social fabric of the community.
The controversial Bill could not be tabled in Rajya Sabha for second time yesterday and now posted for 2nd Wednesday January 2019.
It said that AIMPLB has time and again clarified that the practice Triple Talaq in one sitting is not the standard procedure of divorce and those practising this shall face Social Boycott. It appealed the Rajya Sabha members to send it to SELECT COMMITTEE for legal scrutiny of the Bill.
“There was no need of this Bill after the Supreme Court Judgement invalidating “Triple Talaq. It is brought with political and communal motives to divide the Society” said Dr. Asma Zohra, the chief of Women wing of the Board adding that the institution of Marriage involves the husband, wife & children and also there are other dependents old age parents, sisters etc.
“The Bill may Break marriages rather than empowering women, it is a direct blow to family system & institution of Marriage. Bill is brought for “Empowering Muslim Women” but provisions in Bill defeat its very purpose. Muslim Women will not get anything from this Bill, instead they will be abandoned and deserted. Condition of such women will become more miserable” Dr Zohra said in a statement.
She said that in any Criminal Case it is the Magistrate who decides the granting of Bail, not the victim (Section 7 (c)). On mere allegation of the wife, the husband is jailed, this is against the Criminal Jurisprudence.
It is irony that there is Freedom in this country for Men &Women to have premarital, extramarital and even multiple relationships. Decriminalisation in Sec 377 is an example of Freedom in personal, civil matters, why then a Muslim husband is penalised for divorce.
“How can there be two parameters of benefits, privileges to divorcee women, those who are divorced by Talaq-e-Ehsan and those who are divorced by Talaq –e-Biddat. How can the Children whose divorced by standard procedure whose custody according to Parents & Guardians Act decided on “welfare of child” be treated differently by this Bill – Section 6 “Married Muslim Women shall be entitled to custody of her Minor children in event of pronouncement of Talaq by her Husband”.. Is this not against Right to Equality. Is this not against Children’s Rights? asked Dr. Zohra.
All India Muslim Personal Law Board has time and again stated that the triple talaq in one sitting is not the standard procedure of divorce and those practising this shall face Social Boycott. There was no need of this Bill after the Supreme Court Judgement invalidating “Triple Talaq. It is brought with political and communal motives to divide the Society.
The Institution of Marriage involves the husband, wife & children and also there are other dependents old age parents, sisters etc., This Bill is Inhuman, Anti-women, Barbaric and damaging the family & Social fabric of the community.
The Lok Sabha had already passed the Bill by negating the amendments moved by some opposition members. Two hundred forty-five members voted in favour of the bill while 11 voted against it yesterday.
The Bill makes all declarations of instant triple talaq void and illegal. It seeks to make the practice a punishable offence with imprisonment of up to three years.
The Bill will replace the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Ordinance-2018. Replying to a debate on the Bill, Minister for Law and Justice Ravi Shankar Prasad said, it has not been brought to target any religion but to give justice to women.