Law to punish husbands after instant talaq will be a New Year gift for Muslim women: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday made a "humble request" to all political parties to help pass the bill on instant triple talaq in the Budget session of Parliament, saying it would be a New Year gift for Muslim women.

Speaking to reporters outside Parliament House, Modi, who is also the husband of helpless Jashodaben, said that despite his government's efforts and people's expectations the triple talaq bill could not be passed in the last session.

He said though there should be no politics on the issue as it relates to the rights of Muslim women, the Bill could not be passed.

While the so called Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017, sailed through the Lok Sabha, it is pending in the Rajya Sabhja as several opposition parties demanded that it be referred to a select committee. The Budget session of Parliament got underway today.

While the government maintains that the bill is meant to ensure “gender justice and gender equality” for married Muslim women, the Muslim leaders across country including women claim that it violates minority rights. Social activists, too, have objected to the bill, questioning the need to criminalise a practice declared "void" by the Supreme Court. AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi has opined that triple talaq bill was a ploy to send Muslim men to jail.

Here’s a look at what The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights of Marriage) Bill, 2017 provides for:

— Under proposed bill, a Muslim man who resorts to Talaq-e-Biddat or instant talaq would be jailed for three years.

— The custody of any minor children from the marriage would be granted to the woman and legally husband loses rights on his kids (even if the woman was a murderer or child abuser)

— It makes instant divorce a non-bailable offence which can lead to an imprisonment of up to three years upon conviction.

— It also makes it mandatory for the husband to pay maintenance to his wife and child support towards any children (even if the woman was a billionaire and the man was a beggar).