Bisheshwar Mishra /AMN / NEW DELHI
The Triple Talaq Bill was introduced in the Rajya Sabha today amid the ruckus by the Opposition, which demanded that the Bill be referred to a Select Committee of the Upper House.
The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriages) Bill , 2017 was introduced in the House by Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad even as the Opposition members were raising an uproar on the Dalit violence in Maharashtra.
The Opposition member, however, raised an uproar, demanding that the Bill be referred to the Selection Committee of the Upper House.
The Congress opposition also wanted to raise the Maharashtra caste violence issue instead, which the ruling NDA party charged the Congress as being anti-Muslim women and stalling the bill. The triple talaq bill was passed in the Lok Sabha last week as the ruling party has comfortable majority there. But in the Rajya Sabha they do not have this advantage.
After several adjournments, the House was finally adjourned for the day as the deputy chairman P J Kurien saw that neither side was willing budge from their stand.
Arguing strongly for the passage of the bill finance minister Arun Jaitley opposed the sending of the bill
to the Select Committee. He said the reason why it should not be referred to the committee was that such practice had been declared “unconstitutional” by a Supreme Court bench recently. The two judges of the apex court were of the view that such a practice was “unfair” and “constitutional” and they used their power to suspend it for a period of six months from 22 August 2017, Jaitley said.
Hence he said there was an urgency that the people expect the Parliament to behave with responsibility towards this bill. Referring to the Congress he said “one party which supported the bill in the Lok Sabha is now opposing it here”, which he said was being irresponsible.
Meanwhile Congress’s Anand Sharma moved for amendment in the triple talaq bill. He said the Congress stood for the rights and dignity of women. “It is unfair to say that they (BJP) are the only ones who are responsible and that we are not responsible.” He further said that if the BJP was so much concerned about the women’s right, then why had they not brought the “Women’s Reservation Bill in the past three and a half years.”
Earlier government has appealed to political parties in the Rajya Sabha to ensure the smooth passage of triple talaq bill.
Talking to media after BJP Parliamentary Board meeting, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said, the government is ready for discussion on the bill.
Mr Kumar quoting Finance Minister Arun Jaitley as saying that Congress is adopting double standards on the bill.
He said the party is trying to stop the bill. Mr Kumar said during the meeting, the Constitutional 123rd amendment bill which gives Constitution status to National Commission for Backward Classes, was also discussed.
