BJP in a fix over triple talaq

Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 15

With the General Election just a few months away, the BJP is contemplating allowing the contentious triple talaq Bill hang in the Rajya Sabha through the ongoing winter session to not upset any further its core Hindu voters.

Sources say the party has started internal churning on its recent defeats in the Assembly elections, especially the three states of the Hindi headland considered to be the fulcrum of its core vote base.

Apparently one of the key conclusions at one such meeting held yesterday was that the Assembly vote was not in favour of the Congress but against the BJP and the core party voters (upper castes) are upset over the BJP’s new soft corner for SC/STs and OBCs.

“Cadres are also disenchanted and complaining of arrogance in the leadership. Now if the BJP tries to push the triple talaq Bill, it may be at the cost of further upsetting the right wing clamouring for legislation or an ordinance on building Ram Mandir. After all, if the BJP can bring a religious legislation and ordinance for the minority community, why can’t it bring one for Hindus,” they said.

The government has two options — either forget about the triple talaq Bill for now by just listing it on one of the days or extend the winter session to coincide with the Budget session before the elections and then take a fresh call on it.

Given the way the session has panned out in the first week, the Narendra Modi government would just concentrate on getting essential Bills cleared in the din.

Sources say the attempt will be to get as many Bills cleared in the session as possible and then wait for the upcoming ‘mahakumbh’ in Prayag, Uttar Pradesh — the last big event where the Ram Temple issue will be given the final push by the ‘Sangh Parivaar’.

Current status

• The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Ordinance, 2018, was promulgated on September 19. An ordinance is valid for six weeks from the date when the next session of Parliament starts
• During this period, Parliament can either pass the ordinance, turning it into an Act, or disapprove it. If not passed, it can be re-promulgated by the President
• The Bill was introduced and passed in Lok Sabha on December 28, 2017, and is currently pending in Rajya Sabha