Bhubaneswar: A senior BJP legislator stoked a controversy in the Assembly Thursday when he said “Muslim women dominated the red-light areas of Mumbai and Kolkata” while speaking in support of the “Triple Talaq” Bill.
BJP deputy floor leader BC Sethi quoted survey reports from magazines and newspapers during Zero Hour to justify his claim even as members of the Congress and the BJD demanded that the statement be expunged from the records.
“What is wrong in quoting survey reports? I have not made any adverse remark against any community, but quoted survey reports that say Muslim women dominate the red-light areas in Mumbai and Kolkata,” Sethi said while replying to Congress members, who had criticised the BJP-led government at the Centre for pushing through the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill in Parliament. The Congress had Wednesday said the bill should have been amended before it was passed by Parliament.
President Ram Nath Kovind gave his assent to the Triple Talaq Bill Thursday, making the practice of instant divorce among Muslims a punishable offence. Sethi claimed that some political parties (referring to Cong), with an eye on minority votes, were opposing the legislation.
“The opponents of Triple Talaq Bill should remember that the legislation was passed in Parliament on humanitarian grounds to protect interest of women at large,” he said. The practice of triple talaq was abolished in 38 countries including Pakistan and Bangladesh, Sethi maintained.
“The Triple Talaq Bill has nothing to do with religion and is aimed at eradicating a social evil. Now, one cannot divorce his wife just by uttering ‘talaq-talaq-talaq’ in an inebriated state or through a mobile message,” he added.