President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday made a fresh appeal for early passage of the Bill to criminalise the practice of instant triple talaq by requesting political parties to pass it in the Budget Session.
In his address to joint session of both Houses, the President exuded confidence that the Bill will become the law and help the Muslim women live a life free of fear and with dignity.
In his customary address to the media outside Parliament House building on the first day of the session, Modi said it is the Government’s effort as well as the expectation of the people that there would be no politics on an important issues, like triple talaq and Muslim women would get their rights.
As the Government seeks to push the politically sensitive instant triple talaq Bill in the Budget Session, the National Democratic Alliance meeting also deliberated on the strategy to have the key Bills passed in the Upper House where the ruling dispensation did not have the majority.
The triple talaq issue also figured in the BJP’s Parliamentary Executive meet where the Prime Minister sought that the members should create awareness about it in the public.
“In the last Session, despite a Supreme Court ruling, we could not get the Bill passed in Parliament. I hope and I humbly request all political parties of the country to get the Bill passed in this session as a New Year gift to Muslim women,” Modi said.
Talking about the triple talaq Bill, the President also made it clear that the Modi Government will do everything to empower the minorities but not appease them.
The President also pitched for simultaneous elections to Parliament and State Assemblies, saying there is a need to discuss and build a consensus among all parties on the possibility of holding simultaneous polls.
“There is need to discuss and build consensus among parties on the possibility of holding simultaneous elections for Parliament and the State Assemblies,” he said. The issue of simultaneous poll was also stressed by Modi in the BJP Parliamentary executive meet.
On instant talaq, the President said, “Muslim women’s honour was a victim of political upmanship. Now the country has the opportunity to free them from this situation.
“My Government tabled a bill on triple talaq in Parliament and I hope it will become a law soon. After the law comes into force, the Muslim daughter and sister can live a life free of fear and dignity.”