Day after Rahul seeks women quota, BJP says back triple talaq

NEW DELHI: Turning the tables on Congress over women empowerment, the government on Tuesday shot off a letter back to AICC president Rahul Gandhi, requesting him to join hands with the ruling coalition in giving women “new deal” by passing the Bills on women’s reservation, instant triple talaq and nikah halala in Parliament.

(From L) PM Narendra Modi, AAP’s Bhagwant Mann, Congress’ Mallikarjun Kharge, CPI’s D Raja and Home Minister Rajnath Singh after an all-party meeting on Tuesday. Manas Ranjan Bhui

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 17

Turning the tables on Congress over women empowerment, the government on Tuesday shot off a letter back to AICC president Rahul Gandhi, requesting him to join hands with the ruling coalition in giving women “new deal” by passing the Bills on women’s reservation, instant triple talaq and nikah halala in Parliament.

Responding to the letter written by Gandhi to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking him to pass the women reservation Bill to ensure 33 per cent quota for women in Parliament and state assemblies, Union Law and Justice Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad suggested that the Congress and the BJP can join hands to get the three Bills and also the measure on providing constitutional status to the National Commission on Backward Classes passed in Parliament.

In the letter, Prasad said the PM has forwarded to him the letter written by Gandhi, as his ministry dealt with the issue of reservation in legislatures and personal laws.

Gandhi had on Monday written to Modi, asking him to ensure the passage of the women’s reservation Bill in the monsoon session of Parliament, starting July 18.

Prasad in the letter said: “The government welcomes your (Gandhi’s) initiative to support the Bill. However, the government would like to understand fully the reason why the Bill was not taken up for three years by the UPA government in Lok Sabha and allowed it to lapse.”

He went on to add: “The government would also like to know whether all your allies and other Opposition partners, who are coordinating with you, will also be supporting the Bill and not disrupting the House as they had done on earlier occasion when the Bill was brought to Parliament.”