'Triple Talaq Ordinance is an attention diversion tactic', AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen(AIMIM) Chief and Lok Sabha Member of Parliament Asaduddin Owaisi has frowned upon the Union Cabinet's decision to approve an ordinance against the historic Triple Talaq Bill. Owaisi on Wednesday argued that the Bill, known as the Muslim Women Protection of Rights on Marriage Bill, itself is unconstitutional. 

"The ordinance is against Right to Equality and Article 15 of the Constitution because it is only being made for Muslims. A Muslim penalised under this law will get three years of jail but if a non-Muslim is penalised he will only get a year," Owaisi claimed.

“Marriage is a civil contract in Islam and bringing penal provisions in it is wrong,” he added.

Asaduddin Owaisi then went on the add that the Bill will put both Muslim women and men into trouble, a contention which he had already raised in Parliament earlier this year. 

"Even if a man is penalised and sent to jail he would still be married. The Supreme Court had pointed out the same. So what's the justification of punishing someone when the marriage would still be intact?" he questioned. 

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Owaisi stated that the Triple Talaq ordinance is an attention diversion tactic of the Centre against core issues like rising petrol prices, the Kashmir issue and Rafale deal which is bothering the nation now. 

"The BJP is a sinking ship in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. They will speak on the NRC next. These are all diversionary tactics," he concluded.

Earlier in the day, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad hailed the Triple Talaq ordinance.

"There was an overpowering urgency to bring this ordinance. Nearly 22 countries regulated Triple Talaq through various measures. But in secular India it's not happening due to vote bank politics," he said.

The minister also slammed the previous UPA regime for not taking any action on the Triple Talaq malaise plaguing the society. 

"Due to vote bank politics, Sonia ji, a distinguished woman leader, did not take any action on this issue. She never supported us. I had approached her five to six times but to no avail," lambasted the law minister.

READ | "We've Suffered Enough", Says Dr Zeenat Shaukat Ali, Hailing Triple Talaq Ordinance As The Wisest Solution And A Big Win For Muslim Women. Read Here