Prime Minister Narendra Modi is facing a daunting challenge in the Rajya Sabha as NDA government’s floor managers in the Rajya Sabha have been struggling to muster the necessary numbers to pass a bill to penalise instant oral divorce practiced by some Muslims in India.
BJP has 65 members and 8 nominated members supporting it against the requirement of 123 members to pass the bill. It’s allies Shiv Sena and Shiromani Akali Dal have three members each, taking the total tally to 79 members. NDA can also count on the votes of three other nominated members Swapan Dasgupta, MC Mary Com and Narendra Jadhav. There are six independent members and NDA can count support of three four members, taking the tally to 85-86 members.
BJP’s ally JD(U) has not opened its cards, although, Derek O Brien, chief whip of Trinamool Congress, has orally mentioned JD(U)’s name among those parties that have been supporting the motion moved by Trinamool Congress under rule 125, seeking to send the bill to a select committee of the house.
The Prime Minister has publicly announced on 24 December that his government would implement the law to ban instant Triple Talaq. The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2018 was passed by the Lok Sabha two days later on 27 December. However, now it seems an uphill task for NDA floor managers to manage the numbers in the Rajya Sabha. United opposition is standing as a rock in the way of smooth passage of the bill.
AIADMK which has 13 members in the house did not support the bill in the Lok Sabha. Other important regional players Biju Janta Dal having 6 members and TRS which has 6 members also opposed the bill in the Lok Sabha calling the provisions of the bill anti-minority.
On the other hand, principal opposition party Congress has 50 members in the house of elders and support of at least one independent member KTS Tulsi, who has been considered close to the party.
The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2018, is also being opposed in its present form by the Samajwadi Party (13 members), Trinamool Congress (13), Telegu Desam Party (6), Telangana Rashtra Samiti (6), CPI-M (5), Rashtriya Janata Dal (5), Bahujan Samaj Party (4), NCP (4), DMK (4), Aam Admi Party (3) PDP (2), CPI (2), Kerala Congress-M (1), Indian Union Muslim League (1), Janata Dal Secular (1), these parties account for 121 members just two short of the clear majority of 123 members. BJD which has opposed the bill in the Lok Sabha will take the tally to 130.
If the NDA floor managers are able to muster the support of all other members of smaller parties like YSR Congress, Sikkim Democratic Front, Bodolond People’s Front, Naga People’s Front that have one member each in the house even then it is not easy for the government to get the bill passed in the Rajya Sabha.