In all probability, the Government may have to defer the Triple Talaq amendment Bill till the Budget Session of Parliament after Opposition parties on Thursday blocked its passage in the Rajya Sabha (RS) demanding that it should be sent to a Select Committee. Amid acrimonious scenes and heated exchange of words between the treasury benches and Opposition members, the RS was adjourned without the Chair giving any specified ruling on the issue. On Wednesday, the House had witnessed similar uproar when the Bill was introduced by law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.
Friday is the last day of the Winter Session with no legislative business other than Private Members’ Bill. There seems little hope that the Government will be able to persuade the Opposition to fall in line. On Thursday, the Government wanted to initiate a discussion on the passage of the Bill. But the Opposition did not budge from its stand that the House must first discuss their demand to send the Bill to a Select Committee comprising members as suggested by Deputy leader of Opposition Anand Sharma.
Rejecting the demand, Finance Minister and leader of the House Arun Jaitley said, “A saboteur of a Bill can never be on the Select Committee. It is a parliamentary proceeding. As such they would be disqualified from being a part of it.”
Against the backdrop of disruptions, 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 discussed and the Chairman asked both the Opposition and the treasury benches to sort out the issue.
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. The House has seen disruptions on a number of issues in the Winter Session, including on the caste violence in Maharashtra.
The ruckus started when the Bill was taken at 5.30pm shortly after a short duration discussion on state of economy and investment in the country. While the Opposition urged the Chair to send the Bill to a Select Committee, Jaitley said the amendment motion brought by Congress member Anand Sharma and TMC leader Sukhendu Sekhar Roy on Wednesday were not as per the rules and hence should
be rejected.
The Opposition MPs
protested Jaitley’s remarks by recalling the Chair’s words that the motions were valid. Sharma said the motion was moved on Wednesday so the unfinished business must be finished. While TMC MP Derek O Brien said the Opposition wanted to empower women and accused the Government of playing politics on the Bill, Union Minister Smriti Irani gave it back to him.
“Opposition stands exposed in the RS. For the past 2 days, it has been repeatedly said that if there are any issue on the Triple Talaq Bill, those need to be put out on the floor of the House. Why is the Congress-led Opposition running away from discussionIJ” Irani said.
“Double standards of the Congress-led Opposition are exposed today and I think it is shame on them that they are trying to obstruct this path of justice for Muslim women,” Irani added.
Congress leader Kapil Sibal said, “The Government is isolated, the Opposition is one. The Bill should be sent to the Select Committee.”
The RS was adjourned for the day at 6 pm on Thursday.