As the winter session of the Parliament nears its end, both the opposition and the government are left sparring over the passage of triple talaq bill in Rajya Sabha.
Congress led the opposition charge against passing the triple talaq bill in its current form in the Rajya Sabha, as they demanded it be referred to the select committee of the house. The government hit out at the opposition saying it was indulging in double speak as it supported the bill in Lok Sabha. The house was adjourned amidst pandemonium.
Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had introduced the bill, earlier passed in the Lok Sabha, in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. After the introduction of the bill, deputy leader of opposition Anand Sharma moved a motion in the house saying it be sent to the select committee of the Rajya Sabha. The house was to be adjourned as the ruckus continued unabated.
Apart from Congress, Trinamool and Samajwadi Party opposed the bill passed by Lok Sabha, saying it should be sent to select committee comprising members from Rajya Sabha to study the bill in detail.
As the government saw the opposition leaders coming together, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said, “It is clear that the Congress party is opposing the triple talaq. The support they extended in Lok Sabha was a sham. Today was a golden moment for the House to end the injustice, but because of Congress it could not happen.”
The fate of the bill will be known on Thursday as the government has little option but to send it to the select committee as the opposition has the numbers. Had the bill been passed, the Modi government would have projected it as a great victory. If the bill goes to select committee then the changes suggested have to be included in the bill. Then the bill passed by the Rajya Sabha will be sent back to Lok Sabha for approval again. But this will demand time, and may have to be done by the end of the budget session which will start in February.
As only two days are left for the winter session to get over, only a day is left for taking legislative business as on Friday only private members bills will be taken up. In Lok Sabha, discussion on giving the constitutional bill to OBC commission are to be taken up, while Rajya Sabha would again face-off between the opposition and government over the bill.
