Hyderabad: MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday said the ordinance passed by the Union Cabinet making triple talaq a criminal offence will do more injustice to Muslim women.

Describing the ordinance as anti-women, he said it was also in violation of the fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution.

The Hyderabad MP said the Supreme Court, in its verdict on triple talaq, had stated that if a man pronounces triple talaq, the marriage does not get dissolved. "Then for what do you want to punish him?" he asked.

Owaisi said the burden of proof will lie on the woman, doing further injustice to her.

On the provision that the husband has to provide subsistence to the woman, he said how a man jailed for three years can give her subsistence.

"Marriage in Islam is a civil contract and making it penal offence is completely wrong," said the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) President.

Owaisi, also a member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, said that in his personal opinion the board should challenge the ordinance in the Supreme Court as there were strong grounds to do so.

The MP said if Prime Minister Narendra Modi was really concerned about the welfare of women, he should bring a legislation for 24 lakh women who have been deserted by their husbands.

"These 24 lakh women, including 22 lakh Hindu women, are married but they are not living with their husbands," Owaisi said.

He alleged that the ordinance was a tactic of the Modi government to divert people's attention from spiralling prices of petrol and diesel, devaluation of rupee, lack of jobs for youth, instability in Kashmir and the failure of governance.