The contentious bill banning the practice of instant Triple Talaq was passed by the Lok Sabha today after a heated debated. Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the the bill was about gender justice as the government introduced the law in the Lok Sabha. The opposition fiercely protested against certain the bill in its current form, contending that it would end up victimising Muslims. The new law provides for a three-year jail term for Muslim men who get an instant divorce by uttering "Talaq" thrice. The ruling BJP had issued a whip to its lawmakers, asking them to be present in the lower house for the voting.
While the bill had a smooth passage through Lok Sabha, roadblocks are expected in the Rajya Sabha where the government lacks the numbers needed to pass a bill on its own. A chunk of parties, including Naveen Patnaik's Biju Janata Dal and Andhra Pradesh's ruling YSR Congress will object to the bill in the Rajya Sabha. Even ally Nitish Kumar has said his Janata Dal United will oppose it.
Meanwhile, the Right To Information (RTI) bill proposing significant changes to the transparency law was passed by the Rajya Sabha test despite the opposition's objections, with the government bringing the fence-sitters on board. Non-aligned parties like the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) agreed to support the RTI bill.
