Congress missed two opportunities on women empowerment issue, they have third chance with Triple Talaq Bill: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday asked Congress support the Triple Talaq Bill saying it can make up for two "missed opportunities" on the issue of women empowerment in the past--once on Uniform Civil Code and the other on Shah Bano judgement.

"Congress has missed two opportunities on the issue of women empowerment. They first missed in 1950s when Uniform Civil Code was being debated and then after 35 years when Shah Bano case came up. Now is the third chance when they can support Triple Talaq Bill.

"There are reports that a Congress minister had said at the time when Shah Bano case was being debated in the country that 'upliftment of Muslims is not the responsibility of the Congress, if they want to lie in gutter, let them be'," he said in his reply to the debate on the President's address in the Lok Sabha.

The Triple Talaq Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha last week amid a huge uproar from the Opposition parties, which are against criminalising the offence.

The Opposition raised strong objections at the introduction of the Bill itself. After a brief discussion, the motion for tabling the bill was put to vote. As many as 186 members voted for the introduction of the Bill and 74 against.