NEW DELHI: The triple talaq bill could not be taken up in Rajya Sabha on Friday following resistance from the opposition, leading BJP to target the Congress leadership for thwarting passage of the legislation which seeks to punish those practising instant oral divorce which was struck down by the Supreme Court. The bill was listed for consideration and passage after the cabinet approved amendments to the proposed law on Thursday.

However, the government’s plan was strongly opposed by Trinamool Congress’s Derek O’Brien who cited the convention of the upper House reserving Friday afternoons for private members’ bills. Junior minister for parliamentary affairs Vijay Goel argued that at the meeting of the business advisory committee, the opposition parties had agreed to take up important legislations on Friday afternoon to compensate for suspension of business as a mark of respect for DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi .

But he was contradicted by SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav, Congress’s deputy leader Anand Sharma and O’Brien. With the stalemate unresolved, Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said the triple talaq bill was not being taken up because of lack of agreement among parties. The government responded to the failure by launching a strident attack on the Congress leadership.

Law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told TOIthere was no reason for Congress to raise objections after amendments to the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill were made but Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi were hell bent on referring the bill to the select committee and delay its passage.

“I repeatedly asked Congress to voice their objections as I was in the upper House and could have given a reply. But Congress did nor respond to my request which showed the party is obsessed with vote bank politics rather than saving Muslim women. Congress double standards are exposed,” Prasad said.

The minister said after the cabinet approved amendments, Congress did not specify their objections. “As per the amendments, a crime of triple talaq (FIR) will be cognizable only if the victim or her blood relatives or someone associated with the marriage files the complaint. A complaint filed by an agency or outside entity will not be cognizable. Besides, a magistrate can grant bail after hearing the victim. The third amendment makes the crime compoundable. If friends seek reconciliation, the magistrate can compound the offence,” Prasad said.

