Triple Talaq Bill: Congress Demands CM’s Clarification On BJD-BJP Nexus

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Bhubaneswar: The Congress on Wednesday demanded a clarification from the Chief Minister on the nexus between the BJD and BJP in connection with the passing of the Triple Talaq Bill in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

Raising the issue during zero hour in the State Assembly, Congress chief whip Tara Prasad Bahinipati, said while the NDA’s ally, JDU and AIADMK staged a walkout in the upper house in protest against the Bill, the BJD extended its unstinting support in favour of the Bill. To ensure the passing of the Bill, the Chief Minister had issued a whip to his party members to remain present in the upper house. This shows the double standards of the Chief Minister.

“The BJD and BJP engage themselves in a war of words during the election. The Chief Minister talks about the equidistance policy of his party. But his party openly supports the BJP in all matters in the Parliament. Hence, we need a clarification from the Chief Minister to know whether the state is now governed by the BJD or the BJP,” Bahinipati said.

Commenting on Bahinipati’s statement, the government chief whip, Pramila Mallick said the Congress and BJP have a secret nexus. In the Assembly elections, the Congress votes had gone to the BJD while in the Patkura Assembly election, all Congress votes went to the BJP, she pointed out.

Justifying BJD’s support to the Triple Talaq Bill, she said as the Bill has the provision to give protection to Muslim women, there is nothing wrong with the Chief Minister supporting the Bill.