Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad indicated on Thursday that there will be no rethink on the government’s move to make instant triple talaq a criminal offence, saying that “some degree of deterrence is inherent when you reform these social ills”.

The government has introduced a bill in the Lok Sabha that proposes to make the practice an offence punishable with imprisonment for up to three years with a fine. The legislation was passed by the 16th Lok Sabha but it lapsed in the Rajya Sabha amid protests by the Congress and other opposition parties.

In an interview to Hindustan Times, Prasad said: “Let us take this argument about not making triple talaq a criminal offence. How will it work? The man will torture his wife with triple tlaq, she will go to police station, and the husband will be called and released on bail because the offence is bailable and he will tell his wife ‘get lost’.”

The law minister said that all bodies that are supposed to be societal leaders of have failed to address the issue.

“For the Congress party, led by a distinguished woman leader, to be ambiguous on issue of triple talaq is shocking to say the least,” he added.

On being asked how the government planned to pass the bill without a majority in the Upper House, Prasad said: “Leave that to us”.

First Published: Jun 28, 2019 07:24 IST