The triple talaq bill will be tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday after a united Opposition foiled the government’s attempt to push it in the Upper House on Monday as it insisted on referring it to the select committee of Parliament.

(Follow live updates of Triple talaq bill in Rajya Sabha here)

The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2018, passed twice in the Lok Sabha in as many years, could lapse if it doesn’t get the approval of the Upper House by February, when the second phase of the Winter Session will be held.

After the original bill was cleared by the Lok Sabha in 2017, the government amended it and brought it again before the Lower House during the current session.

Ahead of the discussion on the bill, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said in an exclusive interview to ANI that the ordinance against triple talaq was brought keeping in mind gender equality and social justice and it should not be seen as interference in religious issues.

“Most Islamic countries have banned triple talaq. So it is not a matter of religion or faith. Even in Pakistan, triple talaq is banned. So it is an issue of gender equality, a matter of social justice. It is not an issue of faith. So keep the two separate,” Modi said.

While key opposition parties such as the Congress and the Trinamool Congress are not opposed to the essence of the bill, protection for married Muslim women against instant triple talaq, they want it subjected to parliamentary scrutiny.

The Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad has moved a motion in the House for referring the triple talaq bill to a select committee. The motion is likely to be taken up on Wednesday when the House takes up the bill.

Azad has also proposed the names of 11 opposition members to be part of the Select Committee of the House. The names of Anand Sharma of the Congress, Ram Gopal Yadav of the Samajwadi Party, Sanjay Singh of the Aam Aadmi Party, Manoj Kumar Jha of the Rashtriya Janata Dal are among those.

The opposition members have also given notices for amendments in the bill. The Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP’s) Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh said he had recommended four amendments in the clauses of the bill.

The triple tale bill seeks to criminalise the practice of instant divorce among a section of Muslims, provides for a three-year jail term for those found guilty of following the practice.

In the amended bill, a provision for bail of the accused has been included. Only the victim or her family can lodge complaints with the police as per the new bill while the original version allowed anyone to do so.

(With agency inputs)

First Published: Jan 02, 2019 09:00 IST