*NEW DELHI: *India’s parliament passed on Tuesday a law against the Muslimpractice of “instant divorce”, making it a criminal offence punishable byup to three years in prison.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu-nationalist government pushed throughthe bill despite stiff resistance from several opposition parties and aprevious failed attempt to move the bill in the upper house.
Instant divorce, or “triple talaq,” is when a Muslim man ends his marriageby simply saying “talaq” — which means “you are divorced” in Arabic — threetimes in succession.
The Supreme Court declared the practice unconstitutional in 2017 and askedthe government to legislate against it.
Modi held a sizable lower house majority in his first term when he firstattempted to outlaw it, but did not have sufficient upper house support topass the law.
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Following his resounding victory in general elections in May, hisgovernment sought to pass the contentious legislation against asignificantly weakened and dispirited opposition, even as severalopposition parliamentarians argued against making divorce a criminal act.
The law, which was passed by the lower house last week, will come intoeffect after receiving a formal nod from the president in next few days.
Besides a jail term and a fine, the law will require Muslim men tofinancially support their wives, who will also get custody of theirchildren. -APP/AFP
