BJP selling lies, Bill won’t help Muslim women, says Azad

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 5

As the  government today resisted Opposition pressure to send the triple talaq Bill to a select committee of the Rajya Sabha, a fuming Congress alleged the ruling dispensation was “selling lies” to exploit the issue politically.

“I have always said these people (the BJP) are masters at turning truth into lies and lies into truth.They are master propagandists. We are zero in this area,” Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said, reiterating Congress’ demand to review the Bill to make it women and child-friendly.

“I will revise my stand if anyone can tell me how a divorced Muslim woman and her children will sustain themselves if the man is sent to jail for three years. Is this being pro woman? No, this is being anti-husband, anti wife and anti child,” Azad said as the government let the winter session end today without taking up the Bill stuck in the Rajya Sabha.

In the Lok Sabha the Congress had supported the Bill after seeking a definition for subsistence allowance and a welfare fund for divorced women. It did not press for a vote on amendments. Senior Congress MP Veerappa Moily explained: “We did not wish to come across as anti gender justice and anti-women. We had to proceed cautiously.” Azad, however, maintained it was simply for lack of numbers that the Congress did not move amendments in the Lower House.

“We are for a legislation that delivers complete justice. When we asked the government to provide for divorced women while their husbands were in jail, it flatly refused.They are selling lies. There’s a huge difference between what the Bill contains and what is being projected. The BJP says the Bill is progressive. Is destroying families progressive,” argued Azad. 

Blaming the Congress for stalling the Bill, the BJP hopes to reap rich dividends in eight state elections this year, beginning with Manipur, Meghalaya, Sikkim and Karnataka. 

Congress’ Chief Whip in the Lok Sabha Deepender Hooda accused the BJP of having reduced Parliament to a rubber stamp, with 10 ordinances this year.

It’s Thoughtlessly drafted, Says Maya

Lucknow: The triple talaq Bill, if passed in its present form, would multiply the problems of Muslim women, BSP national president Mayawati on Friday warned. Hitting out at the Modi government for its “inflexible attitude”, she said it was this approach of the PM that had caused immense hardship to the people, be it GST or demonetisation. “The triple talaq Bill reflects the Modi government’s anti-Muslim policy through which he wants to once again polarise society on religious lines to draw political mileage ahead of the General Election.” She said her party was against triple talaq in one sitting. TNS