Bisheshwar Mishra / New Delhi
The Rajya Sabha was again adjourned today over disagreement between the Ruling Party and the entire opposition including the Congress in the House over the Triple Talaq Bill.
Although the deputy chairman P J Kurean had admitted the motion for amendment on the bill to be sent to the select committee as moved by the opposition members, it could not be discussed as the treasury bench was dead against it. Some opposition members had asked for a vote of division on this issue yesterday but no decision could be taken by the chair in the din and the uproar and so the house was adjourned.
Today the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriages Bill 2017 (Triple Talaq Bill) was listed as the second item for discussion in the list of business in the Rajya Sabha. The first on the list was discussion on Goods and Services Tax (GST) and this too was only after a discussion on the “state of economy”. The opposition members however, wanted the Triple Talaq Bill be taken up first as “unfinished legislative business from yesterday.” The deputy chairman P J Kurean decided to proceed as the business was listed.
Deputy Chairman P J Kurien ruled that it was the priority of the government to list the government business. He also ruled that the Chairman has accepted the motions moved by Anand Sharma of Congress and Sukendu Shekhar Roy of Trinamul Congress and now they cannot be withdrawn.
He said as “the government has listed GST Compensation Bill as priority. The triple Talaq Bill cannot be taken up now.” This led to protests by opposition members. Following the uproar, the deputy chairman adjourned the house for the day.
Before this the Leader of the House, the Finance Minister had argued that the list of members of the purported Select Committee which was to work on the Bill comprised of people who were opposed to the bill. This he said was against the Rules. At this point Leader of the Opposition in the House Ghulam Nabi Azad interjected loudly claiming “We are not against the Triple Talaq Bill. We are in favour of the Bill but we are against the provisions in the Bill, which seeks to send the husband to the jail.”
The entire opposition in the Rajya Sabha comprising Congress, Samajwadi Party, Trinamul Congress, AIADMK, DMK, RJD, and even independents, want the bill to be re-examined by the Select Committee of the Parliament.