Owaisi questions intention behind criminalising triple talaq

AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi Thursday questioned the intention of the government behind criminalising triple talaq while it has supported decriminalisation of homosexuality.

Participating in a debate in the Lok Sabha on Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MP said 100 per cent of Muslim population is against the move to criminalise triple talaq as it is against the rights of faith and belief provided in the constitution.

"Why have you decriminalised homosexuality and criminalising triple talaq? Because it would be used against us... Sexual minority got choice in Section 377, then why not religious minorities," Owaisi said.

He said while adultery has been decriminalised, and there is nothing to stop men from indulging in extra marital affairs, but triple talaq is being made criminal offence.

"If your faith is your faith, then my faith should also be my faith. Your (Government) intentions are not clean... You can bring your own law, but we will not forfeit our religion," Owaisi said.

Supriya Sule (NCP) sought to know from the government why it adopted the Ordinance route to implement the law and suggested that the bill be sent to select committee and that its report could be given within 2 weeks.

She suggested that instead of triple talaq bill, the government should bring in legislations like women reservation bill and bill against marital rape to empower women.

Dharmendra Yadav (SP) said the BJP government has brought this bill keeping in mind vote bank politics. Since Supreme Court has already said that triple talaq is illegal, there was no need to bring a separate law.

Jay Prakash Narayan Yadav (RJD) said the bill shows dictatorship of the government. While marriage and divorce are civil matters, it is being made a criminal offence, he added.

E T Mohammed Basheer (Indian Union Muslim League) said personal laws has protection of Article 25 of the Constitution. "This legislation is ill motivated and against the fundamental rights given in the Constitution," he added.