BJP ally JD(U) opposes Triple Talaq Bill, walks out of LS

New Delhi, July 25 (IANS) BJP ally Janata Dal (United) on Thursday opposed the Triple Talaq Bill which was moved by the government in the Lok Sabha and walked out saying there was a need to create public awareness on the issue with the help of Muslim community leaders.

Participating in the discussion over The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2019 moved by Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, JD(U) member Rajiv Ranjan Singh said his party believed the Bill would cause harm to the society.

"The Bill will produce a different feeling in the society because no one wants that there should be differences in the relationship between wife and husband," he said.

Singh said Triple Talaq was a social issue and it should be resolved at the social level.

"The relationship between a husband and wife is based on mutual acceptance. You cannot decide the relationship by making a law. Nobody wants to end attachment and love between the husband and wife. If your try to stop it by using law, it will produce hurt in a particular community.

"No one will like Talaq. Despite making a law, you should leave it to that community to decide. The government should only try to create public awareness," the MP said.

Referring to the time when the matter was being heard in the Supreme Court in 2017, Singh said the Muslim Personal Law Board had assured the court that it would help create awareness in the Muslim community over Triple Talaq.

So, the MP said, the government should create awareness in the society with the help of prominent members of that community.

Citing the government's cleanliness drive, the MP asked why there was no law on cleanliness and why offenders were not being jailed.

"I agree the Constitution is everything but the society does not only run with Constitution. The society also runs with customs. So, a particular community has a custom and you will have to take some historical step to end it. There is no need to make a law in hurry."

Giving examples of misuse of other laws, the member said: "You made anti-dowry Act and Section 498. But these laws are being misused. So if you will make another such law, it will be misused."

Singh asked: "Who will prove that the husband said Triple Talaq or not?"

The Bill seeks to curb Triple Talaq and provides for three years jail for the husband. It aims to protect the rights of married Muslim women and prohibit divorce by pronouncing Triple Talaq by husbands.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has publicly opposed the Triple Talaq Bill.

Apart from Triple Talaq, the JD(U) - an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party - has differences with the BJP on other issues too like Article 370, Uniform Civil Code and a proposed grand Ram temple at Ayodhya.