Instant divorce criminalized in India

NEW DELHI

India's parliament approved on Tuesday a bill that makes the practice of "instant divorce", or triple talaq, a crime."Triple talaq" allows a husband to divorce his wife by repeating the word "talaq" three times.After the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) bill was passed with 99 votes in favor and 84 against by the upper house, Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked all political parties who supported the bill.Men who breach the new law can be jailed for up to three years.

"An archaic and medieval practice has finally been confined to the dustbin of history! Parliament abolishes Triple Talaq and corrects a historical wrong done to Muslim women. This is a victory of gender justice and will further equality in society. India rejoices today!,” tweeted Narendra Modi.

"I thank all parties and MPs who have supported the passage of The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2019 in both Houses of Parliament. They have risen to the occasion and this step of theirs will forever be remembered in India's history," he said in another tweet.

"This is an occasion to salute the remarkable courage of those Muslim women who have suffered great wrongs just due to the practice of Triple Talaq. The abolition of Triple Talaq will contribute to women empowerment and give women the dignity they deserve in our society,” said Modi.

The ruling National Democratic Alliance led by Narendra Modi has 107 members in the 242-member upper house.

Union Minister of Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told the upper house that the BJP government is bringing the law on triple talaq for the social, financial and constitutional empowerment of Muslim women in the country.

He further said, “our government is working towards inclusive development of all."

Meanwhile, most of the opposition members expressed concern about the provision for a three-year jail term and claimed that the law would be misused to victimize Muslims.

Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad cited jail provisions in the legislations that ban dowry and multiple marriages by Hindu men to justify the three-year jail term for Muslim men practices triple talaq, according to news agency Press Trust of India.

The minister also said that he cannot leave in lurch women who have been divorced by triple talaq via WhatsApp or other such means.

When Muslim world is trying to reform, why can't a democracy do the same, said Prasad, according to PTI

The lower house of the parliament had passed the bill last week.

India is the world’s second largest populated country and is home to 172 million Muslims, according to 2011 census. Muslim population in India is the third largest in the world.

The community is the most educationally and economically deprived sections of the society.