PM asks political parties to help pass triple talaq Bill

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a fresh pitch for early passage of the bill to criminalise the practice of instant triple talaq by "humbly requesting" political parties to pass it in the Budget session which began on Monday.

In his customary address to the media outside Parliament House building on the first day of the session, Modi said it was the government's effort as well as the expectation of the people that there would be no politics on important issues like triple talaq and Muslim women would get their right.

"But in the last session, despite a Supreme Court ruling, we could not get the bill passed in Parliament. I hope and I humbly request all political parties of the country to get the bill passed in this session as a New Year gift of 2018 to Muslim women," he said.

He said at a time when credit agencies, the IMF and the World Bank are giving a positive opinion about India, the Budget will give a new energy to the economy which is already surging ahead.

He also hoped that the Budget would live up to the expectations of the common man.

Modi also said Parliamentary committees should do more to evaluate various provisions in the budget and come up with a roadmap.

It is learnt, that the PM will speak for the first time in the ongoing budget session in the afternoon on February 5. On Monday after the adjournment of the house for the day, parliamentary affairs minister, Anant Kumar informed all leaders of the Lok Sabha at the business advisory committee meeting about the PM's intervention in the debate on the President's speech. Parliament will resume its business from 1st February after a two-day recess.

From February 6-8, Lok Sabha will debate on the General budget for 2018-19, and finance minister Arun Jaitley will reply on either 8th evening or 9th afternoon depending on the time consumed in the debate. The first half of the budget session will adjourn on the 9th February 9 and resume on March 5.