Triple talaq bill stalled in Rajya Sabha
New Delhi, Aug 10 : The proposed law to criminalise the practice of instant divorce by Muslim husbands will not see the light of the day for at least four more months as the Rajya Sabha on Friday decided to defer the consideration of the bill till the next session due to lack of consensus.
Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu said the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017, has been deferred till the next session even as Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad demanded that the bill be taken up. The Chairman said he would not proceed without a consensus.
The minister blamed the Congress for the delay.
"Sir, whatever is happening is unfair. Should the Muslim women not get justice? The Congress is delaying it in the name of select committee," Prasad said as Opposition MPs protested loudly and Naidu asked the Minister to stop.
The Union Cabinet on Thursday cleared amendments to the bill, which was passed by the Lok Sabha, with the fresh version allowing a magistrate to give bail to the men found instantly divorcing their wives.
According to the new provisions of the bill, instant divorce will continue to be illegal and void, attracting a jail term of three years for the guilty. But if the wife and the husband desire to settle their differences, then a magistrate can compound the offence on appropriate terms and conditions and grant bail after hearing the wife.
The amended bill was listed for consideration and passing in the day's list of business of the Upper House. However, the Opposition members objected to its listing on a Friday, which is reserved for the private members' bills.
In the afternoon, as the House reconvened at 2.30 p.m., Chairman Naidu said: "We are taking up private members' bills now and after that we will take up two government bills. And the bills are on which there is consensus. We are not taking up the other bill (triple talaq bill)."
A few minutes later he reiterated: "I would like to say clearly again that we are not taking up triple talaq Bill for the reason that consensus has not been reached on that."
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Karnataka Minister Satish Jarkiholi triggers debate over change of Congress state president
Bengaluru, Jan 15: Karnataka Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi on Wednesday sparked a debate within the ruling Congress over the change of the state president, saying a full-time leader was needed to devote more time to the party in the state.
Currently, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar holds the post.
“It’s not about whether this person or that person should become the party president. The person should give their full time to the party. That’s the only demand, and nothing else,” Jarkiholi told reporters here.
According to him, while there is a lot of discussion happening at the lower levels, it should also take place at the top level.
“It’s not about someone’s adamant posture. We want someone who works, that’s it,” the minister said.
Noting that the decision is up to the party's high command, whether to allow the incumbent to continue or bring in someone new, Jarkiholi emphasised that a discussion at the top level was needed.
The minister added, “The organisational work has decreased since all of us became ministers. We are busy with the work of our portfolios and our districts. We are not going anywhere, and we are not able to devote time to the party.”
He further explained that earlier, Congress leaders were all active in the party organisation, but after becoming ministers, the pressure to handle district-level work left them with little time for the party.
“Our only concern is that the speed with which we worked in 2023 is no longer there,” he said.
Jarkiholi also claimed that the party leadership had intended to change the state president after the Lok Sabha elections, but this has not happened.
“There was talk, and also a written note with K C Venugopal’s signature, stating that the post should be given up after the Lok Sabha elections. So now, they need to clarify whether the same person will continue, or they should gather the leaders and decide on a new president,” he said.
According to him, a few people from the backward community are ready to take up the job.
Reacting to this, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah told media in New Delhi that the party high command’s decision was supreme.
When he was told about Jarkiholi’s claim regarding Venugopal’s written letter for a change of the Congress state president, he said, “You better ask him.”
Congress state working president and MLA Tanveer Sait said Jarkiholi had raised this issue in the recent Congress Legislative Party meeting, where it was discussed in detail.
“There is no such information with us regarding a cabinet reshuffle or change of the party president,” he told reporters in Mysuru.
