‘Cong plays vote-bank politics’
Accusing the Congress of “hypocrisy, double standards and continuous pandering to vote-bank politics”, Union minister for law and justice and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, Ravi Shankar Prasad, on Friday slammed the party for its stance on triple talaq bill in the Rajya Sabha.
“The three amendments to the bill had addressed all the concerns... Yet the Congress insisted on sending it to a select committee... It shows they are not interested in justice for victims,” he said.
The amendments to the bill cleared by the cabinet on Thursday, allowed the magistrate to grant bail after hearing the wife; and made the offence of instant triple talaq “compoundable”.
Prasad said that there have been over 300 women victims of triple talaq ever since the Supreme Court declared it unconstitutional. “Congress has been led by a distinguished lady, Sonia Gandhi. But from the time of Shah Bano to Shayara Bano, it remains confined to vote-bank politics. Gender justice is entirely alien to the party...”
The Shah Bano reference is to the Congress using its legislative strength to nullify the effect of an SC judgement to grant maintenance to a Muslim widow. The Shayara Bano was the original petitioner in the triple talaq case, which led to the SC verdict.
UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi told reporters, “Our party’s position is absolutely clear on this, I will not say anything further.” Congress has objected to the criminalisation part of the instant triple talaq bill.