After an intense debate of nearly five hours, the BJP-led NDA government won a major victory in Rajya Sabha with the passage of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2019 that criminalises triple talaq. The bill, which got 99 votes in favour and 84 against, has already been cleared by the Lok Sabha and now becomes an Act."India rejoices today!" said Prime Minister Narendra Modi heralding the passage of the bill. He had been pushing for the legislation for the past two years but, despite having been passed by Lok Sabha once before, it was stalled in Rajya Sabha due to BJP's weak strength."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!" he tweeted.

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Three-Years Jail For Triple Talaq
Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill passed by 99 votes in favour and 84 against
Lok Sabha passed the Bill last week. Upon assent of the President, the practice of Muslim men instantly divorcing their wives by uttering ‘talaq’ thrice will become a crime, punishable by jail up to three years
Ruling NDA, which lacks majority in Upper House, was helped by absence of some members of Oppn Congress, SP and BSP, six TRS members, two MPs of YSR-Congress

The controversial bill that all doubted would pass the acid test in Rajya Sabha, where the NDA still lacks in numbers, became a cake walk for the ruling dispensation, thanks to some shrewd floor management by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other leaders.A beaming Amit Shah, the BJP president, congratulated PM Modi for fulfilling his commitment. "Today is a great day for India's democracy. I congratulate PM @narendramodi ji for fulfilling his commitment and ensuring a law to ban Triple Talaq, which will free Muslim women from the curse of this regressive practice. I thank all parties who supported this historic bill," he said in a tweet.Of the 241 member present strength of the House, the BJP needed 121 as the half way mark to cross the hurdle but had only 107 members in favour. With Janata Dal United (JDU) and AIADMK, NDA allies, opting to walkout instead of opposing it during the voting, the numbers got reduced for the government.The disunity within the Opposition and lackadaisical approach of some MPs also came in aid of the government's big victory. Four Congress members, two each from Samajwadi Party and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), were not present during the division that gave the government a clear edge. 

OPINION
‘Muslims have got their due’

It is a victory for Shayra Bano, Ishrat Jahan, Afreen Rahman, Gulshan Parveen, Atiya Sabri and, of course, the Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan (BMMA) for waging this long battle against misogyny, patriarchy and vested interests. We fought it out on the streets, in the media, in our homes and at our centres. And we finally have the law on our side. It’s a relief also for Muslim brothers and fathers who have stood by the women who faced this horrendous practice; and a slap in the face of regressive forces. Inshallah, our fight against polygamy, halala and underage marriages will continue.

—Zakia Soman & Noorjehan Safia Niaz, co-founders, BMMA

Missing Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Telangana Rashtriya Samiti (TRS), YSR Congress and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) members during the voting also led to the tilting of scales in favour of the government.The voting on amendments proposed by several opposition members to decriminalise the bill and send it to a select committee met with the same fate of getting rejected by 100 votes in favour and 84 against.