'RS Prasad has turned into a dealer': Congress hits back, says PM Modi lied to Indian women

July 17 (AZINS) The Congress Party on Tuesday hit back at Union Law Minister  Ravi Shankar Prasad after he sought to corner Congress party on the issue of women empowerment and asked them to join hands for passage of bills of triple talaq and nikah halala including women reservation.

Responding to a letter by Rahul Gandhi to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to bring the bill on granting 33% reservation to women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies, Ravi Shankar Prasad wrote to Congress president suggesting that the party and the BJP join hands to get the three bills, as well as the measure on providing constitutional status to the National Commission on Backward classes, passed in Parliament.

"I propose that both the national parties - the BJP and the Congress, should come together and offer a 'new deal' to Indian women to ensure equality and adequate representation. As part of this 'new deal', we should approve, in both Houses of Parliament, the Women Reservation Bill, the law prohibiting Triple Talaq and imposing penal consequence on those who violate the law, and the law prohibiting Nikah Halala. You will appreciate that the latter two not only give the women of the Muslim community an unequal treatment but also seriously compromise their dignity," Prasad wrote to Gandhi.

However, reacting to this, the Congress party said that the letter signed by Prasad establishes that PM Modi has no intentions of legislating the political empowerment of women.

"It is extremely unfortunate that Law Minister has turned into a dealer rather than a minister who should legislate for women empowerment. I am shocked to see that he tried to cut a deal between two legislations, both of which impact women. I would like to ask RS Prasad that when PM gave speeches on his manifesto, did he mention that 33% reservation would be conditional?," said Sushmita Dev, Member of Parliament and President, All India Mahila Congress.

She also said that Prasad has established beyond doubt that PM Modi in 2014 manifesto lied to the women of India. "PM Modi till today has not given an explanation on why one year back, when triple talaq was not yet introduced, the 33% reservation Bill was not taken up."

She further added that Prasad's letter will go down in the history of feminism as biggest gimmick that BJP has launched. "It is clear that they never had the intention to give 33% reservation to women."

Gandhi had yesterday written to Modi asking him to ensure the passage of the Women's Reservation Bill in the Monsoon Session of Parliament, starting July 18.

In his letter, Gandhi offered his party's unconditional support to the bill and said the time has come for a change, and for women to take their rightful place in state legislatures and Parliament.