Parliament Winter Session Ends: Triple Talaq Bill Left in Lurch
The Winter Session of the Parliament has drawn to a close.
Triple Talaq Bill to Be Presented in Lok Sabha
A bill seeking to criminalise the practice of instant talaq or triple talaq among Muslims is set to be introduced in the Lok Sabha.
The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill is listed for introduction in the Lok Sabha by Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on 28 December, according to the list of businesses to be taken up in the lower house.
The bill, prepared by an inter-ministerial group and headed by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, makes instant triple talaq or talaq-e-biddat in any form – spoken, in writing or by electronic means such as email, SMS and WhatsApp – “illegal and void” and provides for a jail term of three years for the husband.
Congress Against Criminality Clause in Triple Talaq Bill: Khurshid
Congress leader Salman Khurshid suggested that the Congress won’t back the Triple Talaq Bill completely since they have reservations against the criminality clause.
Triple Talaq Bill Tabled in LS, House Adjourned till 3 PM
Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad introduced the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, calling it a "historic day" amid opposition to its introduction by members of different parties, including RJD, AIMIM, BJD and All India Muslim League.
The law is about justice and respect for women and is not about any religion or community, he said, adding that the practice of instant triple has continued despite the Supreme Court order terming it void.
Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi said, “This bill violates fundamental rights and lacks legal coherence.”
BJD MP Bhartruhari Mahtab also opposed the bill and said that it needs reconsideration.
Triple Talaq Bill Not an Issue of Faith but Gender Justice: Ravi Shankar Prasad
Presenting the Triple Talaq Bill in the Lok Sabha, Minister of Law and Justice, Ravi Shankar Prasad said the issue of triple talaq is not an issue of faith but gender justice.
He told the house that there have been a total of 300 case of triple talaq in 2017, among which a 100 of them were filed after the AIMPLB submitted an affidavit to the SC saying that they would issue an advisory to grooms and brides to not resort to triple talaq.
Motion for Consideration of Triple Talaq Bill Adopted in LS
The motion for consideration of the bill was adopted.
Both the amendments proposed by AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi was negatived.
Triple Talaq Bill Passed in LS
Triple Talaq Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha.
Triple Talaq Bill Raises a Political Storm
The passing of the Triple Talaq Bill by the Lok Sabah has drawn a lot of political praise as well as criticism from both the government and the opposition. As reported by CNN-News18, the bill be tabled in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.
While the opposition cried foul...
...the government, the victims and the petitioners hailed the historic move
BJP chief Amit Shah said the ‘historic step’ will bring a ‘new era of hope and respect in the lives of Muslim women’.
He congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the entire BJP-led NDA government for the passage of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill by Lok Sabha
BJP Asks Its RS, LS Members to Be Present in Parliament
The BJP issued a three line whip for all its Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members asking them to remain present in the Parliament on 2, 3 and 4 January for passage of several crucial bills.
Hope Opposition Supports Triple Talaq Bill: Naqvi
Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that the “manner in which the Triple Talaq Bill was passed in Lok Sabha, it will be passed in Rajya Sabha too with constructive debate and discussion. We hope the opposition, including Congress, supports it.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar told ANI that “talks are on with the Congress and others for the bill and hope for a smooth passage in Rajya Sabha.” He added that the bill may be tabled in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
DMK MP Kanimozhi said that the bill should to be referred to Select Committee.
PTI quoting its Congress party sources said that the party would consult a larger opposition before finalising its stand on the contentious bill which proposed to ban instant triple talaq and make the practice a cognisable offence.
NDA Bypassing Committee System on Triple Talaq: CPI Leader
CPI’s D Raja said the Left parties want the Triple Talaq Bill to be referred to the Select Committee. “But the BJP-led NDA government is bypassing the committee system,” he added.
Send Triple Talaq Bill to Select Committee: Opposition
ANI said that Congress ,CPI, CPI(M) ,DMK, SP, BJD and AIADMK leaders raised the issue of triple talaq with Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu and demanded that the bill be sent to Select Committee.
Union Minister Vijay Goel represented the government in this meeting.
BJP Holds Parliamentary Party Meet
BJP held its parliamentary party meeting inside the Parliament complex on Wednesday, 3 January. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP national president Amit Shah, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and other ministers were present at the meet.
Union Minister Ananth Kumar later told media:
Cong Has Double Standards on Triple Talaq Bill: Jaitley
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Arun Jaitley accused the Congress of “double standards” in its stand on the Triple Talaq Bill, saying it was trying to stall the Bill in the Rajya Sabha after supporting it in the Lok Sabha.
“The Congress is showing double standards. It is trying to stall the Bill in the Rajya Sabha after supporting it in the Lok Sabha,” Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar quoted Jaitley as saying.
PM is a 'Mauni Baba': Congress
Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge raised the issue of Bhima Koregaon violence in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, 3 December, and asked “who instigated and interfered in this event.”
He said that a Supreme Court judge should be appointed for inquiry and demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi give a statement on the issue. “He (PM) can’t stay mum! He is a mauni baba (mute spectator) on such issues,” he added.
Triple Talaq Bill Tabled
The Triple Talaq Bill has been tabled in the Rajya Sabha by Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad amid uproar from the Opposition.
Congress' Anand Sharma moved a motion in Rajya Sabha to sent the Bill to the Select Committee for consideration and also proposes names of committee members.
Rajya Sabha MPs including Renuka Chowdhury, K Rahman Khan, Derek O Brien, Javed Ahmad, Majeed Memon, KK Ragesh, D Raja were among those members chosen for the Select Committee. Anand Sharma also said that NDA and the BJP may submit the name of the members they propose.
In response to Sharma’s notice, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said, “The House is taken by surprise that a motion is suddenly moved, it has not been submitted a day before. The motion has to be given at least 24 hours in advance. The whole country is watching that in the other House you supported the Bill and in this House you are trying to derail the Bill.”
“The reason why it should not be referred (to the select committee) is that when the practice was declared unconstitutional, two of the judges held it as unfair and used their extraordinary power to suspend it for six months, which expire on 22 February,” Jaitley added.
In Democracy Majority Prevails: Ghulam Nabi Azad
Kapil Sibal corrected Arun Jaitley on what on his reference to the SC’s judgment on Triple Talaq.
“In democracy majority prevails, if it doesn’t prevail in the house, where will it prevail,” Leader of Opposition, Ghulam Nabi Azad said requesting the Speaker for a divison.
Rajya Sabha Adjourned
The Speaker adjourned the Rajya Sabha till 11 am on Thursday.
BJP Calls Out on Cong's Hypocrisy
After the adjournment of the Rajya Sabha, Law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told the media, “Even yesterday, an incident of triple talaq happened in UP. The Congress which supported Triple Talaq Bill in the Lok Sabha, took a completely divergent view in the Rajya Sabha. They supported it in the Lok Sabha in compulsion since they were less in number. Let the country be aware of the Congress’ hypocrisy and double standard.”
Outside the Parliament Rajya Sabha MP from TMC, Derek O’Brien said, “We are all for this bill, it is a faulty bill. No womens' groups, stakeholders were consulted. All we ask for is that talk to all stakeholders.”
Govt to Send Triple Talaq Bill to a Parliamentary Panel: Report
NDTV, quoting its sources, said that the government will send the Triple Talaq Bill to a parliamentary panel for review as demanded by the opposition.
An Indian Express report also said that the Centre “may agree” to refer the bill to the panel if opposition agrees to a debate.
The BJP accused the Congress and other parties of running away from a debate and stalling the bill.
Rajya Sabha Discusses Bhima Koregaon
Congress MP Rajni Patil started the discussion on violence that has marred parts of Maharashtra. Samajwadi Party’s Naresh Agrawal blamed the Maharashtra government for failing to provide security to people and demanded the constitution of a commission for a report on the matter.
Trinamool Congress MP Derek O'Brien asked for an impartial inquiry into the incident.
DMKs Kanimozhi said that the violence in Maharashtra isn’t an “isolated incident” and that “we have to look for long-term solutions”.
BJP’s Sambhaji Chhatrapati, a descendent of Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji, appealed to Maharashtra to stay away from violence and said that Shivaji did not discriminate against anyone and worked for all communities.
Minister of State (MoS) for Social Justice Ramdas Athawale said that atrocities against Dalits should not be looked at from a political lens and that attacks against the community also happened under Congress rule.
“We should focus on the issue, rather than politcising it,” he said.
NABARD, Insolvency Bill Passed
Lok Sabha approved amendments made by the Rajya Sabha in two bills – the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Amendment) Bill, and Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill – passed by it earlier.
The second bill replaces an ordinance which was promulgated in November to bar wilful defaulters as well as those with NPA accounts from bidding in auctions to recover bad loans through insolvency proceedings.
Govt Seeks Rs 80,000 Crore to Recapitalise Banks
The government sought Parliament's approval for additional expenditure of Rs 80,000 crore for recapitalisation of public sector banks.
Minister of State for Finance PP Chaudhary tabled the third batch of supplementary demands for grants for 2017-18 in Lok Sabha on behalf of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.
The supplementary grants were later tabled in the Rajya Sabha.
Venkaiah Naidu Urges MP to Ensure Smooth Proceedings of Triple Talaq Bill
Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu urged members to act responsibly to ensure smooth proceedings and assured them that whatever decision he takes would be to enhance the image of the House.
During a meeting with members of various parties on functioning of the House, the Triple Talaq Bill was also discussed and the chairman asked both the opposition and the treasury benches to sort out the issue between them, sources said.
Naidu asked the parties to introspect if it is appropriate to cause frequent disruptions and adjournments of the House in order to press their political agenda.
"Whatever decision I take will be guided by the aim to enhance the image of the House," he told the members, the sources said, adding that he urged the MPs to also follow this principle.
The business advisory committee had fixed a time limit of four hours for the debate on the Triple Talaq Bill, but members wanted more time and the chairman said he was open to the idea, the sources said.
Uproar Over Triple Talaq in RS
There was an uproar in Rajya Sabha after opposition's motion on Triple Talaq Bill. The opposition has demanded the bill be sent to select committee.
To this, Arun Jaitley said that saboteurs of the bill should not be made members of the select committee.
Rajya Sabha Adjourned
Rajya Sabha adjourned till 11 am after continued uproar over Triple Talaq Bill.
TMC MP Derek O’Brien said, “It’s clear that this side(opposition) wants to empower women, and you (Govt) stand exposed”. To this Smriti Irani replied saying, “absolutely not, if you seriously want to empower women then have a discussion now.”
After the adjournment, O’Brien told reporters, “Today BJP has been exposed, they don't have the guts to empower women.”
Cong MPs Asked to Be Present in RS on Friday
The Congress on Friday, 5 January, issued a three-line whip for its members in Rajya Sabha, asking them to remain present in the House for the day.
Lok Sabha Adjourned Sine Die
Lok Sabha has been adjourned sine die. Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the proceedings on the last day.
Rajya Sabha Adjourned Sine Die
Rajya Sabha has been adjourned sine die.
The Parliament has passed a total of nine bills in the Winter Session – touted to be its shortest till date – with the debate on the Triple Talaq Bill dominating the proceedings.
As Parliament was adjourned on 5 January, the bill that seeks to criminalises instant divorce with three years of imprisonment for Muslim husbands has been deferred further.
- Triple Talaq Bill, moved in RS on 3 January, saw uproar from Opposition
- Congress demanded that the bill be sent to a Parliamentary Select Committee
- The bill was passed in the Lok Sabha on 28 December 2017
- Minister of Law and Justice Ravi Shankar Prasad said the issue of Triple Talaq is not an issue of faith but gender justice
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