The Rajya Sabha was adjourned till tomorrow after continuous uproar by the opposition parties over Triple Talaq Bill. As soon as Law Minister tabled the legislation, the opposition parties led by the Congress started raising slogans and demanded that the bill be referred to a Standing Committee of the Upper House for closer scrutiny.
Tabling the bill -- Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill 2017, Prasad referred to a story of a Moradabad woman who was given instant triple talaq dowry.
“Even after passage of the bill in Lok Sabha, the practice is continuing in many parts of the country,” he said, accusing the opposition members of raising Pune violence issue to stall the passage of historic bill.
After this, Congress’ leader Anand Sharma moved notice stating that the bill be referred to a Select Committee of Rajya Sabha. He even proposed names of committee members.
Replying to this, Arun Jaitley, who is Leader of the House, said that the “whole country is watching that in the other House you 9Congress) supported the bill and in this House you are trying to derail the bill”.
“The House is taken by surprise that a motion is suddenly moved, it has not been submitted a day before. The motion has to be give at least 24 hours in advance,” Jaitley said, questioning the intention of the Congress party over its demand to send the Bill to a Select Committee.
On December 28, the Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha. The legislation, which has to be cleared by the Rajya Sabha, criminalises instant divorce with three years of imprisonment for Muslim husbands.
There is a provision for a subsistence allowance from the husband for the livelihood and daily needs of the wife and the dependent children. The wife will also be entitled to the custody of minor children. The practice of instant divorce is not followed in major Muslim countries including Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Egypt.
Highlights:
4 pm: Rajya Sabha adjourned till 11 am tomorrow
3:55 pm: He (Arun Jaitley) referred to judgement of SC, I want to correct the record because I appeared in the case on behalf of Muslim Personal Law Board. What he said was in context of the minority judgement: Kapil Sibal, Congress in Rajya Sabha
3:40 pm: Reason why it should not be referred (to select committee) is that when the practice was declared unconstitutional, 2 of the judges held it as unfair & used their extraordinary power to suspend it for 6 months, which expire on 22 Feb: Arun Jaitley
3:35 pm: The whole country is watching that in the other house you supported the bill and in this house you are trying to derail the bill: Arun Jaitley
3:32 pm: The House is taken by surprise that a motion is suddenly moved, it has not been submitted a day before. The motion has to be give at least 24 hours in advance: Arun Jaitley on Anand Sharma's notice
3:25 pm: Congress' Anand Sharma moves notice stating that the bill be referred to a Select Committee of Rajya Sabha, also proposes names of committee members
3:15 pm: Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad introduces Triple Talaq Bill in Rajya Sabha
3:10 pm: We condemn the statement by Law Minister that we are raising Pune violence issue to stall Triple Talaq Bill. We have been raising the issue of Dalit atrocities as this govt is anti-Dalit: Ghulam Nabi Azad in Rajya Sabha
3:02 pm: This issue (Pune violence) is being raised deliberately so that Triple Talaq Bill can be stalled: Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad
3 pm: Congress creates ruckus in Rajya Sabha over Triple Talaq Bill
11:06 am: In today's parliamentary party meeting, we discussed 2 important bills. First, the Constitution 123rd Amendment Bill which will give constitutional status to OBC Commission and second, the bill which will end Triple Talaq & protect the rights of Muslim women: Union Minister Ananth Kumar
10:18 am:
10:15 am: The bill, that was passed by the Lok Sabha earlier this week, criminalises instant triple talaq, or 'talaq-e-biddat', where a husband pronounces divorce thrice in one go, with imprisonment up to three years.
10:13 am: Most of the leading parties in the Opposition, including the Congress, voted in favour of the bill in the Lower House of Parliament, but with caveats. The Centre termed the voting as "historic" and expressed confidence that it would be passed in Rajya Sabha as well.
