Days after the promulgation of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights of Marriage) Ordinance, 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced here on Saturday that the NDA government would soon get the triple talaq Bill approved by Parliament.
“Three days ago, the Centre took a decision that was needed for years. The decision was on triple talaq. Nobody was ready to mention it and talk about the problem fearing loss of votes,” Mr. Modi said at a public meeting.
“When our government passed the triple talaq Bill in the Lok Sabha, attempts were made to stall it in Rajya Sabha. But now we are committed to saving our Muslim sisters and daughters from the ill practice. We have made the practice illegal by bringing in a new ordinance,” he said.
“It will be our constant endeavour to get the nod of Parliament on it”.
Opposition’s stand
While the BJP has hailed the ordinance as a step towards empowering women, the Congress-led Opposition has slammed the government saying it was politicising the issue.
The PM was on a day’s visit to Odisha to inaugurate a number of projects, including the Veer Surendra Sai Airport at Jharsuguda, the Garjanbahal open cast mines project and the Jharsuguda-Sardega railway line of the MCL in Sundargarh district, and coal production and transportation from the Dulanga coal mine of the NTPC in Sundargarh.
He laid the foundation stone for a coal gasification-based fertiliser plant at Talcher Fertilizers Ltd. here. Governor Ganeshi Lal, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Union Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu, Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan and Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram were present at the inauguration of the airport at Jharsuguda.
“Since Independence, around 450 airports have been built. In the past one year, 950 new airports have been proposed. The Veer Surendra Sai Airport is situated in the middle of Bhubaneswar, Ranchi and Raipur. It has huge potential for developing into a busy commercial airport,” Mr. Modi said.
Chief Minister Patnaik requested the Centre to consider introduction of commercial flights in addition to the UDAN flights.
“To begin with, one of the Air India flights from Bhubaneswar to Delhi may be routed through Jharsuguda,” he said.
