New Delhi: The Trinamool Congress had neither participated in the debate in Lok Sabha on Muslim Women (Protection of Rights of Marriage) Bill, nor did they vote.
The bill aimed to invalidate triple talaq, contains penal provisions for any man practicing instantaneous triple talaq or talq-e-biddat.
According to the news report of Indian Express, it appears that TMC has been redefining its stand on Muslims, primary reason being the rapid rise of BJP in West Bengal where the Saffron party alleged that TMC is practicing appeasement of Muslims.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been the vocal votary for women issues but regarding the bill on triple talaq, the party has decided to remain silent.
This is because, if TMC opposes the bill, it would alienate women from the Muslim community who constitute half of the 27 percent of the Muslim population in the state. If they support the bill, it would have alienated them from Muslim clerics of Bengal who traditionally supported Mamata Banerjee and TMC.
When asked about the silence of the party on the bill, a Rajya Sabha MP from TMC had said that “Why do we have to have a point of view on every Bill? Why do we have to talk on every Bill? Is it mandatory? Let the Bill come to Rajya Sabha.”
Another MP from the party in Lok Sabha has said that “We discussed the triple talaq Bill threadbare and decided that the best option would be to not take a stand. It is a case of doomed if we do, doomed if we don’t.”
It seems that TMC, like Congress, is looking to redefine its stand towards Muslims. This may be because of BJP making deep roads into West Bengal, TMC is trying to rebrand itself.