Forget Party Differences, Back Triple Talaq Bill: Centre’s Appeal To Sonia Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee And Mayawati

Women politicians have been asked to back the triple talaq bill, which the government is hoping to pass during the monsoon session of Parliament from 18 July, keeping aside their differences with the ruling BJP, Hans has reported.

Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad urged senior women leaders of the opposition, including United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati, to “go beyond” the political divide for the passage of the bill on banning instant triple talaq, which is languishing in the Rajya Sabha.

He said that the bill cuts across party lines, and is an issue of gender equality and gender justice within the society.

During the monsoon session the Union government is expected to push for bills, which besides triple talaq, also includes constitutional status for the National Commission for Other Backward Classes.

The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill gives power to the victim to approach a magistrate seeking “subsistence allowance” for herself and minor children in the case of instant triple talaq. It has been opposed by fundamentalist organisations as well as by several opposition parties.

While the bill has already been passed by the Lok Sabha, where the ruling BJP enjoys a majority it is still to pass the Rajya Sabha test. The BJP hopes that the appeal to senior women leaders of opposition parties will help getting it passed in the upper house.