Breaking silence on the sensitive issue of triple talaq chief minister Mamata Banerjee today strongly criticised the Bill placed by the Narendra Modi-led BJP government in Parliament.Describing the Bill on triple talaq as “defective”, Miss Banerjee said it would do Muslim women more harm than good.

She accused the BJP of trying to “do politics” with the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, which was passed in the Lok Sabha recently.

“We did not oppose the Triple Talaq Bill because we are for women. I know many Muslims who abide by the law. This Bill, brought by the BJP government, is a defective one.

“Instead of protecting the Muslim women, it will cause them harm. The BJP is playing petty politics with the Bill,” Miss Banerjee said while addressing a meeting here.

She also claimed that her Trinamul Congress is the only party in the country having 33 per cent women MPs. Similarly in the three-tier gram panchayats and municipalities about 50 per cent seats have been reserved for the women.

Questioning the utility of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ scheme, Miss Banerjee said the Centre was spending only Rs 100 crore for the entire country, while the Bengal government is spending Rs 5,000 crore for the ‘Kanyashree’ scheme.
‘Kanyashree’ is a cash transfer scheme with the aim of improving the status and well-being of the girl child in Bengal by incentivising schooling of teenage girls.

The Lok Sabha had on 28 December passed the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill that criminalises instant triple talaq or talaq-e-biddat and makes it punishable by up to three years imprisonment for the husband.

The development was hailed by the BJP-led government as “historic” but disapproved of by a section of the Opposition.
The Lok Sabha passed the hugely contentious Bill by voice vote after rejecting a string of amendments moved by the Opposition members. The Rajya Sabha is yet to pass the Bill.

Women-related issues, like satidaha, widow marriage, child marriage have been stopped after movements from this state and persons like Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar, Raja Ram Mohan Roy played a key role in eliminating them. Bills have been tabled later in Parliament, Miss Banerjee said. “The BJP has been making dirty politics on this issue. The TMC will not accept such defective Bill.”

She said it is the Bengal government which gives the highest maternity leave of 731 days in the country. The Asha project has been stopped in the country, but the Bengal government has continued with the project and has been paying Rs 200 every month from its own fund, she added.The landmark Bill has made triple talaq a criminal offence.