NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) on Sunday asserted that it fully supported the Cabinet’s proposal on ‘triple talaq’ making instant talaq a criminal offence and termed a news item claiming otherwise as ”deliberately mischievous and factually misleading”.
In a strongly worded statement, the WCD ministry also opined that it should have been contacted for clarification before the leading newspaper which reported on the matter carried the story ”on a subject with such serious ramifications”.
It was reacting to the Bill approved by the Union Cabinet on Friday making instant triple talaq a criminal offence for which a Muslim husband resorting to instant talaq could be jailed for up to three years.
”The ministry consistently endeavours to socially and legally empower Muslim women and has always taken a strong stand in support of them. The news article therefore does not represent the views of the ministry,” the ministry said in a clarification.
Terming the news item as ”deliberately mischievous and factually misleading”, the ministry said the article by a leading newspaper carried in the December 17, 2017 edition, ”incongruously stated the stand of Ministry of Women and Child Development on ‘triple talaq’.
The ministry said it has always maintained its stand opposing triple talaq. WCD Minister Maneka Sanjay Gandhi had requested in January 2017 that a group of ministers be constituted to deliberate on the issue as the ministry was a respondent in the triple talaq case in the Supreme Court.
Ministry WCD has fully supported the Cabinet’s proposal on ‘Triple Talaq’ to make instant talaq a criminal offence.
Instant triple talaq in any form oral, written or electronic form has been banned and made a cognisable offence. The Bill also provides for a subsistence allowance for a harassed Muslim woman and her dependent children and the custodial rights of minor children. (AGENCIES)
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