New Delhi, Sep 19: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved an ordinance or an Executive Order on Triple Talaq bill, making it a criminal act.
Triple Talaq, or verbal divorce, is often practiced by a section in the Muslim community in India to instantly divorce their wives by uttering the word 'Talaq' three times. Several Muslim and women organisations have, over the years, have decried the practice, calling it un-Islamic and anti-women.
Soon after the approval of the Ordinance, Congress party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala accused the Prime Minister Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of politicising the women issue. Here is how leaders reacted: In its first reaction, the Congress said the amended bill doesn't address their concerns about how a triple talaq victim will be compensated if the husband is jailed. "We had suggested the provision of attaching the property of a husband but the Modi government is not interested in giving justice to Muslim women,"said Congress leader Randeep Surjewala. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said that the Triple Talaq Ordinance is anti-Muslim. We have always maintained this stand. This Ordinance is against the Fundamental Right of Equality. This is a law specifically against Muslims. Minister of state for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri tweeted on the Triple Talaq bill. In a series of tweets, he said that the efforts to pass the Triple Talaq bull were "thwarted by those who would rather let our Muslim sisters live as unequal partners." He also said that he was "delighted" the Cabinet gave its approval to the "historic" Triple Talaq ordinance.