[<<The Congress and other parties - including BJP ally Telugu Desam Party and the AIADMK and Biju Janata Dal, called government-friendly parties because they regularly help it pass legislation in the Rajya Sabha - want further scrutiny of the bill by a select committee of the house, primarily voicing concern over the provision for a jail term. They have argued that if a man who abandons his family goes to jail, he will not be able to provide for them. They want the bill to include provisions for giving financial aid to Muslim women. There are also concerns that if the law is passed, it could be misused as it gives anyone the right to complain to the police about the "triple talaq" to register a case and arrest a man.>>
In fact, being a cognizable offence, the police can arrest a man right away on the mere presumption that the offence has been committed. The remedial measures, if any, would follow only thereafer. So, whether actually applied or not, if enacted, it'll make every Muslim man feel vulnerable. And, thereby, his family members as well. Wife not necessarily excluded. As there was no bonafide ground for not referring the Bill to a Select Committee, Jaitley, the leader of the House, had to resort to a patently false alibi that the Supreme Court verdict would expire on this Feb. 22. This wouldd, however, be immediately and roundly refuted by Congress leader Kapil Sibal. (Ref.: < https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/government-opposition-spar-in-rajya-sabha-over-triple-talaq-bill/articleshow/62352101.cms >.) Yet, the government refused to refer the Bill to a Select Committee clearly showing up its nefarious intentions. Now, the government is reportedly coying with the idea of taking the Ordinance route. (Ref.: < https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/050118/triple-talaq-narendra-modi-to-take-ordinance-route.html >.) And, would, presumably, get back to the Rajya Sabha after it can cobble up a majority, after three months or so. But that even the TDP - an NDA constituent, AIADMK and BJP insisted on the Bill being referred to a Select Committee, in unison with the Congress and other opposition parties, and refused to budge is a moral defeat for the regime. That won't, of course, stop it from trying to milk the issue in the next round of assembly polls by painting the Congress and others who stood firm as "Muslim appeasers" and polarising the Hindu voters. To counter that, there has got to be a sustained campaign to expose its stratagem.] https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/in-triple-talaq-bill-clash-congress-orders-all-mps-to-attend-rajya-sabha-1796157 No Triple Talaq Bill As Parliament's Winter Session Ends The opposition, led by the Congress, want a review of the jail term provision in the "triple talaq" bill. All India | Reported by Sunil Prabhu, Edited by Divyanshu Dutta Roy | Updated: January 05, 2018 14:54 IST No Triple Talaq Bill As Parliament's Winter Session Ends The BJP had said any concerns on the triple talaq bill can be raised in the Rajya Sabha. NEW DELHI: HIGHLIGHTS Triple talaq bill was listed in Rajya Sabha agenda but not raised today Now deferred to budget session as winter session ends today Opposition, government disagree over jail term provision in bill The Rajya Sabha was adjourned today at the end of the winter session, ensuring the "triple talaq" bill is pushed to the budget session which begins in less than a month. The Congress and BJP had issued whips to all their MPs in the Rajya Sabha to be present in the house today just in case the bill was taken up. Though it was listed in the Rajya Sabha's agenda today, but, with a deadlock between the government and opposition continuing, it did not come up. The government had largely seen this coming, having failed to convince the opposition to help pass the bill in the Rajya Sabha, where it is in a minority. A united opposition led by the Congress stuck to its demand that the bill, cleared by the Lok Sabha last week, be sent for review to a parliamentary committee. The Muslim Women Protection of Rights in Marriage Bill 2017 seeks to make the instant "triple talaq" a criminal offence and proposes up to three years in jail as punishment for a Muslim man who divorces his wife by saying "talaq" thrice. The government has said that after the Supreme Court held the practice unconstitutional last year, the bill must be passed to ensure justice to Muslim women. Law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad urged MPs to pass the bill pointing out that despite the Supreme Court order, instant "triple talaqs" are happening every day. The Congress and other parties - including BJP ally Telugu Desam Party and the AIADMK and Biju Janata Dal, called government-friendly parties because they regularly help it pass legislation in the Rajya Sabha - want further scrutiny of the bill by a select committee of the house, primarily voicing concern over the provision for a jail term. They have argued that if a man who abandons his family goes to jail, he will not be able to provide for them. They want the bill to include provisions for giving financial aid to Muslim women. There are also concerns that if the law is passed, it could be misused as it gives anyone the right to complain to the police about the "triple talaq" to register a case and arrest a man. The government is adamant it will not cede to the opposition and send the bill to a panel. It accused the Congress of double standards and insisted that the bill be debated in the Rajya Sabha so that it can "expose the Congress' hypocrisy" for opposing it in the upper house after supporting it in the Lok Sabha, where it sailed through last week since the government has a big majority. The ruling BJP said any concerns on the bill can be raised on the floor of the house. "The Congress is indulging in diversionary tactics. They don't have any intentions of helping Muslim women. They are hiding behind the idea of a select committee. Congress must learn from history," minister Ananth Kumar said. "Der ho sakti hai, par andher nahi (better late than never). Congress wants to hijack rights of Muslim women. They did the same in the Shah Bano case," Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said. After attempts to convince other parties to evolve a consensus around the bill failed during the winter session, the BJP, sources said, wants to try and bring them around between sessions. The budget session of parliament will begin in less than a month. The Congress had last week repeatedly urged the government to refer the bill to a standing committee for review when it came up in the Lok Sabha. It has emphasised that it strongly backs any move to abolish the "triple talaq", but wants provisions to be strengthened to effectively safeguard the interests of women. "Our effort is to ensure a smooth passage of the bill... BJP is twisting the matter. It doesn't believe in consultation and discussion. Congress is always in favour of the people," Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said. -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
