Centre cheated to get Triple Talaq bill passed in RS: Congress

The Congress on Wednesday alleged that the Central Government "cheated" to push the Triple Talaq Bill through Rajya Sabha.

At a press conference, Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said, "I called this cheating. You cannot run parliament like this. We have also raised the issue in parliament. This is undemocratic." Azad then explained that the government first asked the Opposition to give a list of bills to be sent to the Select Committee. In the list, Triple Talaq bill was on top priority. The government did not tell the Opposition whether the bill was sent to the Select Committee or not."

"I accuse that on Monday night, the government had clandestinely sent the bill to be put up before Rajya Sabha for discussion. While the opposition MPs were informed about it on Tuesday morning. No opposition party got the chance to issue three-line whip," he said.

Azad further alleged that the BJP leaders and its allies were present in the Rajya Sabha and this shows that they were informed by their party that the bill is coming up for discussion in the Upper House.

"I want to clarify here that the decision to table the bill is taken by the Parliamentary Affairs Ministry and not by Speaker or Chairman of the house. We are not accusing the Rajya Sabha Chairman," said the senior Congress leader.

"We Had put forward 23 bills and among them, six bills were in A category and two bills in the B category. The Triple talaq bill was on top priority amongst the six bills listed by the opposition and Unlawful Activities Prevention Amendment Bill was also on priority," he said.

Criticising the government, Azad said, "This is the first time in decades for both Upper and Lower house that a bill was not sent to Standing Committee, Select Committee and Joint Committee. The reason behind is that this government does not believe in democracy, Parliament and judiciary."

"The government wants to run every institution according to its whims like a department of a ministry," he added.

The Bill was passed with 99 members in its favour while 84 members voted against it in the final division. In the division on referring the Bill to the Select Committee, the government got 100 votes while 84 voted against.