Lok Sabha on Thursday passed the triple talaq bill by 245-11 votes with the government rejecting the contention that it was aimed at targeting a particular community.
The opposition, which had been demanding that the bill be referred to a 'joint select committee', staged a walkout when its demand was rejected by the government.
Congress, TMC, AIADMK and RJD staged walkout soon after Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad concluded his reply.
Several amendments moved by opposition were negated by by the House after division of votes.
Who said what
Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Law Minister
Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the triple talaq bill, which seeks imprisonment for Muslim men accused of instant divorce, is not about politics but empowerment and justice for women, as the Lok Sabha began a discussion on the contentious legislation.
Amid a demand by opposition parties, including the Congress and the Trinamool Congress, that the bill be sent to a select committee for study,
Prasad said the government has already taken note of concerns expressed by members earlier and amended the bill accordingly.
Asaduddin Owaisi, Member of Parliament from Hyderabad
Participating in a debate in the Lok Sabha on Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen(AIMIM) MP Asaduddin Owaisi said 100 per cent of Muslim population is against the move to criminalise triple talaq as it is against the rights of faith and belief provided in the constitution.
The AIMIM leader questioned the intention of the government behind criminalising triple talaq while it has supported decriminalisation of homosexuality.
"Why have you decriminalised homosexuality and criminalising triple talaq? Because it would be used against us... Sexual minority got choice in Section 377, then why not religious minorities," Owaisi said.
Smriti Irani, Minister for Textiles
Intervening in the debate in Lok Sabha on the bill to penalise the practice of instant triple talaq, Union minister Smriti Irani slammed the Congress saying it missed opportunities to bring a similar law when in power.
"If Parliament can enact laws to ban dowry and the practice of sati, it can also approve the bill to ban instant triple talaq," said Irani.
She said there were suggestions that dowry is a social issue between two parties. "Still Parliament enacted a law against it ... it brought law against (the practice of) sati," she said.
Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Union Minister of Minority Affairs
Defending the penal provision in the triple talaq bill, Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said it is important to instil fear in the minds of those still practising it and rejected suggestions that it was against any religion.
Intervening in the debate on the bill in the Lok Sabha, the Minority Affairs Minister said acts like murder are against the law but people still commit such crime and hence there is provision for punishment.
This is not to victimise anyone but to provide safety and protection to Muslim women, he said, adding, Muslim Personal Law Board and Ulemas are also against triple talaq.