Triple Talaq Bill in Parliament LIVE UPDATES: Congress to move motion seeking to disapprove Triple Talaq Ordinance; Issues whip to all MPs to be present

Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Minister:

The Bill gives the power to the Magistrate to decide on the maintenance. The Magistrate will also decide on the bail, only after the hearing of the victim.

Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Minister:

The Islamic State also legalised Triple Talaq and under certain circumstances allows for its criminalisation. Even Pakistan is considering to criminalise the Triple Talaq.

Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Minister:

We understand women power. We want women empowerment in our country. There is no political intention behind the Bill.

Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Minister:

I haven't got any concrete suggestions. MPs only raised this issue asking us to decriminalise it 

Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Minister (On passing the Ordinance):

Were we supposed to allow the women to continue to face injustice till we had the Bill?  

Lok Sabha voted on Statutory resolution moved by NK Premachandran and negated it. 

"Everyone is demanding a JPC. We will walk out," Congress' Mallikarjun Kharge,

Congress has walked out after placing its demand for the JPC. AIADMK has also walked out.

Motion for the consideration of the Triple Talaq Bill has been adopted

Amendments demanded by Premchandran, Asaduddin Owaisi, BJD's Bhartruhari Mahtab have been negated

Lok Sabha passes the Triple Talaq Bill with 245 Ayes, 11 Noes. The House has been adjourned.

Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Union Minister:

You can't break a law and not expect a punishment. Why commit a crime if you fear going to jail.
 

Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Union Minister:

Those Islamic countries who have banned the Triple Talaq include Sudan and Pakistan. They have not only they banned the Triple Talaq but also criminalised it.

Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Union Minister:

The criminalisation of the Bill will ensure justice to the women, it will not victimise the men.

Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Union Minister:

People are distributing fatwa as though it is a vegetable. Buy one, get one free. I condemn this. Country should run as per the Constitution and not as per the Shariat.

Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Union Minister:

This is a great opportunity to set those things right which were not when the 1986 Act was brought about.

Rabindra Kumar Jena, BJD, Odisha:

Unless the law makes the husband to pay proper maintenance, how can he pay it from behind the jail.

Rabindra Kumar Jena, BJD, Odisha:

How can triple talaq be compared to serious offences pertaining to issues like communalism which merit three years imprisonment?

Rabindra Kumar Jena, BJD, Odisha:

I can smell there is politics in this piece of legislation

Jayadeva Galla, TDP, Andhra Pradesh:

Section of our polity branding Muslim men as misojynistic is unfair. If the Bill was already pending, then why did the government pass an Ordinance?

Jayadeva Galla, TDP, Andhra Pradesh:

I oppose this bill. This is a historic bill and will help Muslim women. This is only doing to gain political mileage before elections. Why did a the government not pass legislation against lynching of Muslim men and women in the name of cow slaughter?

Jayadeva Galla, TDP, Andhra Pradesh:

Why is J&K out of the purview? It is more relevant to implement to this part of our country... Please refer this Bil to the Joint Select Committee.

Arvind Sawant, Shiv Sena, Maharashtra:

Only the Hindu community follows the law. 

Arvind Sawant, Shiv Sena, Maharashtra (Speaking to Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad):

If you bring in the UCC, you will not need this law. But you can't implement this in J&K as there is the section 370. So we also need to do away with the section 370 too.

Arvind Sawant, Shiv Sena, Maharashtra (Speaking to Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad):

Entire country is waiting for the Ram Mandir. Show the same guts you did for this law for a law for the Ram Mandir. 

Mohammad Salim, CPI-M, Rajganj

If you make the Muslim men second grade citizen, make the community second grade citizen. If you take their chance to earn for themselves, and now shed crocodile tears

Mohammad Salim, CPI-M, Rajganj:

Work against communal violence if you want to empower Muslim women. Provide them with education and empowerment... I believe it is not an innocuous Bill, want a Joint Select Panel to look at it.

Smriti Irani, Union Minister:

I appreciate that Mr Salim (CPI-M MP) has indirectly supported the UCC. 
 

Smriti Irani, Union Minister:

Question is when those who had a chance, had time -- why didn't they provide justice to women then and why are they opposing now? Why didn't those pointing fingers not bring fair maintenance in the legislation?

Smriti Irani, Union Minister:

If the 1986 legislation was so just, then why did Shayara Banu had to approach the Supreme Court?
 

Supriya Sule, NCP, Maharashtra:

Nobody is against social change. But if this Bill is to enable social change, then why did you pass the Ordinance?

Supriya Sule, NCP, Maharashtra:

Please do not underestimate the power of woman. If you really wanted to empower women you would have taken a consensus for the Bill.

Dharmendra Yadav, SP, Uttar Pradesh:

The Samajwadi Party opposes this Bill.

Dharmendra Yadav, SP, Uttar Pradesh:

Don't push the Bill with the intention of vote politics. 

Dharmendra Yadav, SP, Uttar Pradesh:

There is an injustice against the minorities - be it Backward classes, Dalits, Muslims, under your governance. 2019 will respond to this.

Ranjeet Ranjan, Congress, Bihar:

Why don't you discuss the issue of all women, why only Muslim women? Even Hindu women are also facing atrocities.

Prem Singh Chandumajra, SAD, Punjab:

There must be a law for the Triple Talaq. We want a separate law for the Sikh marriages also.

Dr Dharam Vira Gandhi, AAP, Punjab:

The government should amend the Bill and include all three demands of the Opposition

Badruddin Ajmal, AIUDF, Assam (Speaking to Meenakshi Lekhi):

We are not with Salafis. Salafis are those who are terrorising this country. I will provide you the right source of information on Islam so you will be able to provide us with justice.
 

Badruddin Ajmal, AIUDF, Assam:

We do not support this Bill. Triple Talaq is not a big issue. Will the Bill increase love or enmity in the society?

Jay Prakash Narayan Yadav, RJD, Bihar:

The Bill has been brought illegally. It must be sent to Joint Select Committee.

Jay Prakash Narayan Yadav, RJD, Bihar:

It is unfortunate that a civil matter is being criminalised. How will a man pay his wife maintenance if he is in jail. What is happening is against the Constitution.

ET Mohammed Basheer, IUML, Kerala:

There is no need for this legislation as SC has ruled against the triple talaq.

Asaduddin Owaisi, AIMIM, Telangana:

If a Hindu gives a divorce, he will get one-year jail term and if Muslim gives a divorce then it will be put behind bar for 3 years.

Asaduddin Owaisi, AIMIM, Telangana:

If a man kills someone in an accident then he will get two years jail, but someone convicted in the Triple Talaq Bill will get three years jail.

Asaduddin Owaisi, AIMIM, Telangana:

They don't have any humanity for the Muslim woman. They are just doing politics. Shayara Bano is now in BJP. What did you do for her? Please tell us. Where is MJ Akbar now? He had given a lecture on triple talaq in this Parliament. Now we saw what happened after #metoomovement?

Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Minister (Speaking about the demand for the Bill to be sent to a Joint Select Committee):

Opposition's demand for JSC has possibly only one reason, 'why it is criminalized?' When Parliament has passed bills calling for harsh punishment for other crimes then why no one said what will happen to families of culprits... Even the Dowry is a non-bailable offence.

Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Minister:

If Quran opposed the triple talaq, why would the law support it

Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Minister:

We are not targeting any particular community. Between January 2017 and December 2018, 477 triple talaq cases were brought to light in front of us.

Sushmita Dev, Congress:

If this is about the honour of women, we don't have any objection. But we object to the Mooh mein Ram, bagal mein churi. Hence we want the Bill to be sent to the Joint Select Panel.

Sushmita Dev, Congress:

Criminalisation of the Bill is against the Supreme Court verdict on Shayara Banu case.

Sushmita Dev, Congress:

Supreme Court in its ruling on the Triple Talaq has not asked for criminalisation of the act.

Sushmita Dev, Congress:

You are giving a Muslim woman nothing but a criminal case in place of a Triple Talaq.
 

Sushmita Dev, Congress:

I request the Law Minister to take a leaf from Rajiv Gandhi's legislation. There is no explanation on subsistence in this Bill.

Sushmita Dev, Congress:

This Bill does not empower Muslim women, it penalises Muslim men.

Meenakshi Lekhi, BJP:

Government is speaking about women-led empowerment. We are bringing 50 such schemes for women's empowerment.

Meenakshi Lekhi, BJP:

Religious laws are different from civil laws. (Lekhi on BJP's objection to Sabarimala issue while pushing the Triple Talaq Bill in Parliament).

Meenakshi Lekhi, BJP:

The law brought forth by Rajiv Gandhi was appeasement politics. It was not for empowerment.

Meenakshi Lekhi, BJP:

Would like to ask those opposing the Triple Talaq Bill here that in which suraa of the holy Quran is talaq-e-biddat mentioned? This is not he vs she, these are issues of human rights violation.

Meenakshi Lekhi, BJP:

The party which calls itself secular is misusing the religion

Meenakshi Lekhi, BJP:

To empower the Supreme Court ruling it was important to bring this Bill. With regards to the criminal aspect of the Bill, we have a provision for bail in it. The intention of the Bill is punitive, restorative and reformative.

A Anwhar Raajhaa, AIADMK MP from  Ramanathapuram: 

No need for this bill. This is only trouble for women. They will be forced to beg on the road when their husbands will be in jail. This is a barbaric bill to harass Muslim men and the community. The bill is undemocratic and unconstitutional. Either defer this bill or refer it to select committee.

Sudip Bandyopadhyay, AITC, Kolkata Uttar (West Bengal):

Instant talaq is considered to be sinful largely by the Muslim community and I think this thought is in a positive direction. But the Triple Talaq Bill threatens the social security of a large section of the public.

Sudip Bandyopadhyay, AITC, Kolkata Uttar (West Bengal):

Did the Parliament pass legislation for 33% reservation for women?

Sudip Bandyopadhyay, AITC, Kolkata Uttar (West Bengal):

We oppose the criminalisation of the Bill. It is excessive and arbitrary. 

Sudip Bandyopadhyay, AITC, Kolkata Uttar (West Bengal):

Also the question of the person providing the maintenance to the women is moot if he is behind the bars. Hence this Bill will deteriorate the women's life.

Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Union Minister:

Congress made the (1986) law under the influence of fanatics to undermine the Supreme Court.

Ahead of the government making one final push to pass the Triple Talaq Bill in Parliament in 2018, the Congress party, which has been largely non-committal on its stance on the bill thus far, has decided that it will object not only to the bill that is to be tabled by the Law Minister in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, but will also move a motion seeking to disapprove the Triple Talaq ordinance that was promulgated in September.

READ | Triple Talaq Bill To Be Taken Up In Parliament. Here's A Primer On What Stance Various Parties Are Likely To Take

Congress MPs Shashi Tharoor and Adhiranjan Chowdhary have brought the motion seeking to disapprove the Triple Talaq ordinance and will object to the bill, despite the Triple Talaq bill having been amended from its previous version  -- specifically in relation to the criminality aspect that had been opposed by a number of parties. Notably, the Congress had allowed the earlier bill to pass in the Lok Sabha only to block its passage in the Rajya Sabha.

The new Triple Talaq bill has the following facets:

• A crime of Triple Talaq is cognisable only if the victim or relatives file a complaint
• Triple Talaq complaint filed by an agency or outside entity will not be cognizable
• The crime remains non-bailable but a magistrate can grant bail after hearing the victim
• Provision of bail has been included as it was one of the demands of the opposition parties
• If friends seek reconciliation, the magistrate can compound the offence
• A woman can seek custody of minor children and seek allowance from the magistrate
• The proposed law would be applicable on instant Triple Talaq or 'Talaq-e-Biddat'
• The new Triple Talaq bill will attract a jail term of three years for the guilty

The Congress party has issued a whip to all its MPs to be present in the house. 

The following is the preface to the Congress' motion against the Triple Talaq ordinance:

SHRI N.K. PREMACHANDRAN
SHRI ADHIR RANJAN CHOWDHURY
DR. SHASHI THAROOR to move the following resolution: -
“That this House disapproves of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Ordinance, 2018 (No. 7 of 2018) promulgated by the President on 19th September, 2018”.

'Make As Many Laws As You Want, We Will Only Follow Our Religion': SP Leader Azam Khan Ahead Of Triple Talaq Bill Being Tabled In Parliament 

'We will discuss the bill. The government shouldn't interfere in religious matters (citing Article 25 of the Constitution). It interferes in every religious matter. Hence, we're fighting it. We will ask all parties about the bill, on whether there are problems with it. We will see if sending it to a parliamentary committee is the solution', says leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge of the Congress

The TDP and the AIADMK will also oppose the Triple Talaq bill

"The opposition had asked for amendments. We have taken four things into consideration and have also taken inputs from Muslim men. We hope the Opposition will help us pass this as well", says MoS Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal

"The husband should not directly be sent to jail. That needs to be figured out", says Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant

"This bill is in the national interest and not against any religion or faith. This bill is all about the respect of women. It's shameful that in a secular country like India, after 70 years of independence, someone can say triple talaq and the marriage ends. Its shameful and I hope that the Parliament would rise to the occasion", says union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad who will be tabling the bill in Parliament.
 

Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan inside the house: "I am giving a warning to each and everyone to not create a ruckus in the Assembly, else I will take strict action"

Lok Sabha adjourned till noon. As per sources, discussion on Triple Talaq will come up at 2pm. 

AAP MP Bhagwat Singh Mann: We will look at the amendments brought in. We are for equal rights of women. 

Lok Sabha proceedings resume

CPI(M)'s Brinda Karat to Republic TV: "This bill makes a mockery of Muslim women as it has nothing in it to protect them. It is highly politically-motivated and intended to target the Muslim community."

"CPI(M) is totally against this bill as it has no financial protection under the bill"

Shaista Amber, AIMWPLB: I welcome this bill and appeal to the Rajya Sabha to let the bill pass. There should not be criminalisation but there should be a fear of punishment. There should be no politics on the bill

Indresh Kumar, RSS: Triple Talaq is a crime in Islam. If political parties are opposing this bill, it means they are against women. The bill should be passed

As per sources, Smriti Irani, Meenakshi Lekhi and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi will speak from the BJP in the Triple Talaq debate. Sushmita Dev, Ranjeet Ranjan and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury will speak from the Congress

As per sources, Congress is likely to ask for division of votes for sending the bill to a parliamentary committee

Shashi Tharoor: We are for equality of women. But not only from one particular community, for all women

As debate over Triple Talaq Bill begins, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge says it must be recommended to a joint select committee

Asaduddin Owaisi in Lok Sabha: Government hasn't consulted any stakeholders. We are requesting that it be referred to joint select committee

Narendra Singh Tomar, Parliamentary Affairs Minister: The bill is important. We need to understand the importance of this bill. The last time also Mallikarjun Kharge said we'll discuss it on 27th. So please have a debate today

Union Law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad:

This is an important bill. We are not against any religion or community. This bill is for humanity. Kharge-ji said that we will debate on 27th and now, today, we want to debate it

Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad:

We are not biased towards anyone. We amended the bill after listening to everyone. Congress supported the bill in December. They hadn't said anything regarding select committee during that time. India is a secular country. Why oppose this bill here? We have amended the bill after listening to everyone. The parliament needs to listen to the victims. This is important. 

I want to appeal that on many matters, Parliament unites. So why not today? Don't view this matter with a political lens. It's about victims. Please unite. I am ready to listen to every suggestion.

NK Premchandran, RSP MP from Kollam:
Oppose this bill and the ordinance. I strongly oppose the bill. Only they want to get political gains and nothing else. There is a political motive behind this bill. 

Congress wants the Bill to be sent to Joint Select Panel