Taking a dig at the Opposition MPs who were absent in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday during the discussion of the triple talaq bill, BJP's national general secretary Ram Madhav on Wednesday thanked the lawmakers for their support to the Narendra Modi government.
"Some people directly support the bill and some extended support by not being present in Parliament. We want to thank those people who gave support to Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2019 by being absent in the Parliament. Keep supporting good works of Modi ji and if you cannot support it openly then be absent..." Madhav quipped.
The government scored a major victory in the Rajya Sabha on the back of cracks in the opposition when the House passed the triple talaq bill after rejecting the Opposition's demand to refer it to the select committee and to remove the criminality clause which provides for jailing the husband for three years for pronouncing triple talaq to his wife.
The Bill was passed with 99 members in its favour while 84 members voted against it in the final division. In the division on referring it to select committee, the government got 100 votes while 84 voted against.
The government, which does not have a majority in the Upper House, still managed to have smooth sailing for the contentious bill because parties like AIADMK, which has 11 members and JDU, with six, walked out after recording their opposition to the bill.
MPs belonging to parties like YSRCP and TRS reportedly abstained from voting while NCP leaders Sharad Pawar and Praful Patel and some Congress members were absent.
The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage), Bill, 2019 criminalises instant triple talaq among Muslims and attracts a jail term of three years for the husband.