Triple Talaq Bill Passed: Mehbooba Mufti questions 'need to pass the bill', Omar Abdullah asks 'check how your members voted'

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti called the passage of Triple Talaq Bill in the Rajya Sabha an undue interference to 'punish Muslims' and further noted that she fails to understand the 'need' to pass the Bill, citing Supreme Court's judgment that has already declared the practice of instant Talaq 'illegal'

Furthermore, the former BJP ally even questioned the priority of the government, pointing at the 'current state of the economy'

She said: 

Fail to understand the need to pass the triple talaq bill especially since the Supreme Court had already declared it illegal. Undue interference seemingly to punish Muslims. Given the current state of the economy, should this really have been a priority?

— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti)

READ| Rajya Sabha Passes Triple Talaq Bill By 99-84 Vote Margin As Opposition's Resistance Crumbles

However, her regional opponent, NC leader Omar Abdullah in retaliation, asked her to check how the PDP Rajya Sabha leaders voted on the Bill 'before tweeting.' The former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir reminded Mufti how the PDP MPs abstained from voting, thus helping the government with the numbers to clear the contentious Bill.   

He told her that she can't help the government to pass the Bill then 'fail to understand the need to pass'

Mehbooba Mufti ji, you might want to check how your members voted on this bill before tweeting. I understand they abstained which helped the government with the numbers needed to pass the bill. You can’t help the government & then “fail to understand need to pass”! https://t.co/Z0Ma5ST5ko

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah)

PDP MPs abstain from voting, meanwhile, NDA allies JD-U and AIADMK staged a walkout after opposing the Bill. 

The Upper House passed the bill by 99 votes in favour and 84 against it.

PDP, AIADMK, RJD, YSR Congress, JDU, SP, BSP, NCP, AAP, TRS and Congress opposed Bill that makes instant triple talaq a criminal offence, meanwhile, BJD, Shiv Sena and Sikkim's SDF supported the Bill. 

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Law Minister moved the Triple Talaq Bill in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday for passage after the Lok Sabha passed the Bill last week for the second time. Prior to that, the Bill had been passed in the Lok Sabha in December 2017, during the first tenure of the Modi government.

Moving the bill, Prasad said the proposed legislation should be not seen through a political prism or vote bank politics, as it aims to ensure gender dignity and equality. He added that after the last ordinance issued by the government criminalising the practice, as many as 101 cases have come to light.