Oppn plans strategy on triple talaq in RS

Vibha Sharma & Smita Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 28

What are the chances of the BJP-led NDA’s high-on-priority ‘Triple Talaq Bill’ making it through Parliament this winter session?

Quite difficult, if the stance adopted by Opposition parties like the Congress, AIADMK and the TMC in the Lok Sabha yesterday, their individual political compulsions before the 2109 poll and the current standing of various parties in the Rajya Sabha is taken into consideration.

TMC leader Derek O’ Brien today claimed the support of 116 MPs plus 13 of the AIADMK in the 244-member Upper House. Claiming unity in demand to send the contentious Bill to a joint select committee, he said Opposition parties would hold an informal meeting on Monday over the strategy in the House. Numbers are clearly stacked in the favour of the Opposition in the Upper House, he said.

They include the Congress (50), the TMC (13), the Samajwadi Party (13), the BSP (4), the RJD (5), the AAP (3), the JD(S), the DMK(4), the Kerala Mani Congress (1) , the TDP (6), the CPM(5) and CPI(2) and also some Independents apart from 13 members of the AIADMK, which yesterday opposed the Bill in the Lok Sabha despite being perceived as favourable towards the BJP. The NCP’s four members are also expected to support the move to send the bill to the joint Select Committee.

“We are not arguing about merits of the Bill, it is about the process,” O’ Brien said, adding all controversial Bills, including on transgenders, trafficking and triple talaq, have to be referred to the parliamentary committee.

In contrast, the BJP has 73 members in the House apart from those of allies Shiv Sena (3), the Akali Dal (3), the JD(U) (6), RPI(A) (1) and a couple of more. The government is hopeful that AAP’s three members may support it given its “positive response” after the Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha yesterday. Meanwhile, the two sides are also trying to convince the fence sitters — the BJD (9), the TRS (6) and the YSR Congress (2).

With just about six more days left for legislation’ agenda in the Winter Session, it remains to be seen how the BJP’s floor managers control the situation in the Upper House. Senior BJP leaders are hopeful of the amended Bill getting the Rajya Sabha clearance.