AIADMK abstains after hard talk, DMK votes against Triple Talaq Bill

The Bill was passed by Rajya Sabha following support from BJD and walkout by NDA ally AIADMK.

“It’s a shame that the AIADMK walked out to facilitate the passing of the Triple Talaq Bill in Rajya Sabha,” DMK MP Kanimozhi said in a tweet. The DMK voted against the Bill.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government succeeded on Tuesday in passing the much debated Triple Talaq Bill with both the houses passing it, which makes instant triple talaq among Muslims a criminal offence.

AIADMK leader and former MP Anwar Raja, who openly criticised the BJP for imposing the Triple Talaq Bill justified the party’s stand on abstaining from the voting. There is no option left for our party. Even if we vote, the Bill will be passed as the BJP has majority in both the houses. Under such conditions staying away is ideal, Anwar Raja told DT Next.

The ruling AIADMK which has been opposing the Triple Talaq Bill since the days AIADMK leader J Jayalalithaa staged a walkout from the Rajya Sabha bringing out internal differences in the party. Lonely AIADMK MP OP Raveendranath voted for the Bill in the Lok Sabha, while the AIADMK MPs in Rajya Sabha abstained.

After submitting reservations, the AIADMK staged a walk out when the Bill was put to vote in Rajya Sabha. It may be noted that the AIADMK in the recent past had opposed the Bill during debates. Last week, AIADMK MP Raveendranath spoke in support of the Bill in the Parliament and voted in favour of the BJP.

Meanwhile, party leaders Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and his Deputy O Panneerselvam remained silent on the issue.

AIADMK MP Navaneedha Krishnan who is the floor leader in Rajya Sabha, demanded further debate and corrections as there are possibilities for a Muslim man to be affected in the current format. He also said that the custody of children in talaq cases should also be discussed in detail.

There are issues that must be clarified in the present Bill and for this reason the Supreme Court had strike down the instant triple talaq as unconstitutional pointing out that there are issues which needs to be rectified, he added.