Freed Muslim women from fear of triple talaq: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said Muslim women were forced to live under the fear of instant triple talaq and his government ended their suffering by criminalising the practice.

If practices of infanticide and child marriage could be done away with, the menace of triple talaq could also be ended, he said, addressing the nation on Independence Day from the ramparts of the Red Fort.

"Remember, how afraid Muslim women were, those who suffered due to the practice of triple talaq, but we ended that. When Islamic nations can ban it then why can't we? When we can ban Sati, when we can take strong steps against female infanticide, child marriage, then why not this?" Modi said.

"Fear of triple talaq used to loom large over our Muslims daughters and sisters. Many Islamic countries ended this practice long back but it could not be ended here due to some reasons," he said.

The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2019, was passed Parliament on July 30 and it subsequently got the nod from President Ram Nath Kovind making it a law.

The law provides for a jail term of three years to a Muslim man who pronounces instant triple talaq.