External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, in a statement, condemned Pakistan for violating the human rights of Kulbhushan Jadhav’s family on Thursday, during the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament. The Triple Talaq Bill has also been tabled in the Lok Sabha today. The Winter Session, which began on 15 December, will come to an end on 15 January.
- Triple Talaq Bill tabled in Lok Sabha
- MEA Sushma Swaraj says Pakistan have violated the human rights of Jadhav’s family
- Union Minister Anantkumar Hegde apologises for his ‘secularism’ remark
- Ruckus erupted over Hegde’s comment in Lok Sabha on Wednesday
Triple Talaq Bill Tabled in Lok Sabha, House Adjourned till 3 PM
Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad introduced the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, calling it a “historic day” amid opposition to its introduction by members of different parties, including RJD, AIMIM, BJD and All India Muslim League.
The law is about justice and respect for women and is not about any religion or community, he said, adding that the practice of instant triple has continued despite the Supreme Court order terming it void.
Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi said, “This bill violates fundamental rights & lacks legal coherence.”
BJD MP Bhartruhari Mahtab also opposed the bill and said that it needs reconsideration.
Rajya Sabha Adjourned till 2 pm
The Rajya Sabha today witnessed two adjournments in the pre-lunch session, as the opposition continued to protest over the controversial remarks by minister Anantkumar Hegde. Meanwhile, a BJP member pressed for a privilege notice against Congress president Rahul Gandhi for “twisting” Arun Jaitley’s name.
Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said he would examine the privilege notice by BJP’s Bhupender Yadav against Gandhi and added that any comment from outside the House on an agreement between the ruling side and the opposition was not good.
The House was adjourned briefly in the pre-noon session as the main opposition Congress continued protests over Hegde’s remark on secularism and changing the Constitution.
Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad raised the issue relating to Hegde’s remarks and sought to know whether a “person who does not believe in the Constitution can continue to be a memberr of Council of Ministers”.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Vijay Goel said Hegde has clarified his statement in the Lok Sabha and expressed regret, so no issue remains and the matter should be put to rest.
The House was adjourned again little after noon till 2 pm.
MEA Sushma Swaraj Makes a Statement on Kulbhushan Jadhav
The government today slammed Pakistan for the “discourteous” behaviour meted out to the mother and wife of Kulbhushan Jadhav in Islamabad, where they had gone to meet the Indian national who is in custody there.
Making a statement in both houses of Parliament, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said that in the name of security, Pakistani authorities forced his mother and wife to change clothes and take off their jewellery, including their ‘mangalsutras’, and bindis.
Sushma Swaraj, MEAA meeting of a mother with her son & a wife with her husband was turned into a propaganda tool by Pakistan.
Swaraj said the Pakistani claim that there was a device in the shoes of Jadhav’s wife is “absurdity beyond measure” as she travelled through Dubai airport security and their own security to reach Islamabad.
The government, she said, had earlier successfully stalled Jadhav’s death sentence through a “farcical trial”.
She also lamented that authorities there allowed media to come close to Jadhav’s family members, despite an agreement that they would not do so.
Sushma Swaraj, MEAIt was nothing like a humanitarian gesture. Human rights of the family members were violated again and again and an environment of fear was created for them.
In response, leaders of all political parties in the House condemned the Pakistani attitude.
Later, Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said the entire House calls upon the government to take steps for the safe, secure release of Jadhav. He said the House also urges the international community to condemn Pakistan’s attitude.
Constitution Is Supreme to Me: Anantkumar Hegde
A day after there was a ruckus in Lok Sabha over Anantkumar Hegde’s comment, he clarified saying that the “Constitution is supreme to me.” He was speaking ahead of today’s proceedings in Parliament.
Anantkumar Hegde, BJPI deeply respect the Constitution, the Parliament & Baba Saheb Ambedkar. The Constitution is supreme for me, there can be no question on it, as a citizen I can never go against it.
Congress’ Mallikarjun Kharge objected to Anantkumar Hegde’s clarification, following which Hegde said, ‘If anyone was hurt by my statements I tender an apology.’
Congress Against Criminality Clause in Triple Talaq Bill: Khurshid
Congress leader Salman Khurshid suggested that the Congress won’t back the Triple Talaq Bill completely since they have reservations against the criminality clause.
Salman Khurshid, CongressI don’t think we can support it because they didn’t make us understand how this criminality of triple talaq will benefit women. If someone is lodged in prison as a punishment for saying triple talaq, who will take care of his family?
PM Appealed House Should Pass Triple Talaq Bill Unanimously: Ananth Kumar
After the BJP Parliamentary meeting, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said the Prime Minister appealed for unanimous passage of the Triple Talaq bill in the Lok Sabha today.
BJP Parliamentary Meeting Underway
BJP parliamentary party meeting is underway at Parliament’s Library Building.
Congress to Protest over GST and Hegde’s Comments
The Congress party is planning to protest in front of the Gandhi statue inside Parliament complex over the GST and Anantkumar Hegde’s comments on the Constitution, sources said.
Triple Talaq Bill to Be Presented in Parliament on Thursday
A bill seeking to criminalise the practice of instant talaq or triple talaq among Muslims is set to be introduced in the Lok Sabha today.
The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill is listed for introduction in the Lok Sabha by Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on 28 December, according to the list of businesses to be taken up in the lower house.
The bill, prepared by an inter-ministerial group and headed by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, makes instant triple talaq or talaq-e-biddat in any form – spoken, in writing or by electronic means such as email, SMS and WhatsApp – “illegal and void” and provides for a jail term of three years for the husband.
It was cleared by the Union Cabinet earlier this month.
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar requested all Opposition parties to help pass the bill in Parliament.
The BJP is believed to have issued a three-line whip to its MPs, asking them to be present in the Lok Sabha on Thursday when the government plans to introduce the bill
Sushma Swaraj to Make a Statement on Jadhav on Thursday
Leaders across party lines on Wednesday, 27 December, condemned Pakistan’s “misbehaviour” with the wife and mother of alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav, who the women met in Islamabad on 25 December.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has promised to make a statement in the House today.
Also Read: Suspicious Pak Removes Jadhav’s Wife’s Shoes, Sends for Forensics
Disruption Over Hegde’s “Secular” Comment
As the government made peace with the Congress over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks against his predecessor Manmohan Singh to end the impasse, the Rajya Sabha on 27 December witnessed disruptions over Minister Anantkumar Hegde’s words on amending the Constitution.
However, normalcy returned in the post lunch sitting, after the government distanced itself from Minister of State for Skill Development’s comments and also clarified that Modi did not mean to question his predecessor’s commitment towards the nation. The House then passed two bills – Indian Forest (Amendment) Bill, 2017 and Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy Bill, 2017.
As the upper house met after a four-day break, opposition members across party lines objected strongly to Hegde’s comments that the word “secular” needs to be removed from the Preamble of the Constitution. Opposition leaders sought his removal from Parliament as well as Council of Ministers, if he did not apologise for his comments.
Also Read: From Gandhi to Vajpayee, A Lesson on Secularism for Minister Hegde
The Quint
