A day after the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, commonly known as Triple Talaq Bill, was passed by the Rajya Sabha, the Opposition on Wednesday charged the Government with not keeping its word to send some bills, including this legislation, to the Select Committee as proposed by the Opposition. It further said the Unlawful Activities(Prevention) Bill, known as UAPA Bill, was also one of the bills proposed by the Opposition to the committee but the Government did not do so.
Raising the issue, Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said the government had approached them to ask which bills they wanted to be sent to Select Committees. Leaders of all parties wanted that at least six bills be sent to committees for further scrutiny, he said adding that various parties were under the impression that the two bills will be referred to the Select Committee. However, the triple talaq bill was not sent to the committee, he said adding it was unfair on part of the government.
He said the government had approached the opposition through the Parliamentary Minister and he wanted to know which bills were to be sent to Select Committees. There were 23 bills listed in the ongoing session and the Opposition wanted at least half of them to be referred to the Select Committee.
“We identified as many as 6 bills as A-category to be sent to Select Committees, and two under B-category and the list was taken by the government,” Azad said.
The Congress leader said the bill discussed on Tuesday was the first bill which was supposed to go to Select Committee. The Bill, which is listed as number 2, was also slated to go to Select Committee, which the opposition had recommended. He also said the triple talaq bill was listed at night and “we were in the dark and we could not inform our members of Parliament. The second bill, which is being considered today for passage, is also on the priority list to be sent to the Select Committee,” Azad said.
He was supported by Derek O’Brien (TMC) who alleged the government was pushing through legislations without scrutiny. O’Brien said two bills — the triple talaq bill and the UAPA bill — were on top priority of the opposition for sending them to the Select Committee for further scrutiny.
“One got listed on Monday night and the second one was listed today. We seek your protection. Out of the 23 bills, even though we are not going to go back to what has been passed the last time, the opposition together had a list of six bills, four of which were marked as A-plus.,” he said.
Ram Gopal Yadav (SP) also sought to know whether the minister is denying that he had told the opposition about bills being sent to select panels.
While Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said he will examine the issue, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar countered the Opposition charge. He said the chair has already said that eight out of 10 bills in last two years have been sent to the Select Committee. The minister said the UAPA bill was not sent to the select by the UPA regime too.