Parliament Winter Session LIVE UPDATES: Govt, Opposition unite to slam Pakistan conduct on Kulbhushan Jadhav-family meeting

Parliament Winter Session LIVE UPDATES: Sushma Swaraj will first address the Rajya Sabha at 11 am and the Lok Sabha at 12 noon. (Source: Express photo by Praveen Jain)

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Thursday slammed Pakistan for the “discourteous” behaviour meted out to the family members of Kulbhushan Jadhav in Islamabad when they went to meet his son. She said, “Pakistan turned meeting of a mother with her son and a wife with her husband into propaganda tool.”

In Rajya Sabha, Swaraj said that in the name of security, Pakistani authorities forced his mother and wife to change clothes and take off their jewellery, including the ‘mangalsutra’, and bindi. She will address the Lok Sabha at 12 noon.

The stage is also set for the government to table the triple talaq bill in Lok Sabha Thursday, months after the Supreme Court struck down the Muslim practice of instant divorce. Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will table the triple talaq bill or the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill 2017, that criminalises the practice of instant triple talaq among Muslims, in the lower house. The BJP has issued a whip in the lower House, asking all of its members to be present today and tomorrow to ensure the smooth sailing of the bill.

On Wednesday, Opposition members condemned the hostile reception accorded to Jadhav’s wife Chetna and mother Avanti during their visit. Leader of the Congress in Loksabha, Mallikarjun Kharge said, “We condemn the way Kulbhushan Jadhav’s mother and wife were treated in Pakistan. Kulbhushan Jadhav should be brought back to the country.”

Also Read | Govt to introduce bill to criminalise instant triple talaq in Parliament today

The day also saw stormy scenes in both the Houses as Opposition demanded the resignation of Union Minister Anantkumar Hegde’s over his controversial remarks on the Constitution.

Follow Parliament Winter Session Live Updates below: 

11:30 am: Supporting Swaraj’s statement, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said, “Misbehaviour of Pakistan with wife and mother of Kulbhushan Jadhav was misbehaviour with all Indians. Regardless of political differences, when it comes to nation’s dignity and another country misbehaves with our mothers & sisters, it will not be tolerated.”

11:28 am: Opposition leaders including Congress’ Ghulam Nabi Azad and TMC’s Derek O’ brian supported Sushma Swaraj’s statement on Kulbhushan Jadhav.

11:27 am: Meanwhile, Asaduddin Owaisi, AIMIM President has given a notice to oppose the introduction of Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage Bill) 2017 in Lok Sabha.

11:26 am: Sushma Swaraj said, “Kulbhushan Jadhav’s mother was not allowed to speak in Marathi, two Pakistani officials present in the meeting kept stopping her repeatedly but when she continued, the intercom was switched off.”

11:26 am: The EAM said, “Jadhav Ji’s mother who only wears a saree was forced to wear salwar-kurta. Bindi, bangles and mangalsutras of both mother and wife were removed. Both the married women were made to like widows.”

11: 23 am: It was nothing like a humanitarian gesture. Human rights of the family members were violated again & again & an environment of fear was created for them, said Sushma Swaraj in Rajya Sabha.

11:22 am: Even after her repeated attempts, the shoes of Kulbhushan Jadhav’s wife were not returned. Pakistan says there was a camera or a recorder in the shoes, nothing can be more absurd than this as she traveled in 2 flights with those shoes on. It is an absurdity beyond measure,” Shushma Swaraj said.

11:17 am: “Not just his wife but bindi and mangalsutra of his mother were also removed, I spoke to her she told me that as soon as she reached, Kulbhushan asked her ‘Baba kaise hain?’ because he thought a mishap has taken place when he wasn’t around,” says Sushma.

11:15 am: Sushma Swaraj says, “A meeting of a mother with her son & a wife with her husband was turned into a propaganda tool by Pakistan.”

(Source: ANI photo)

11:13 am: Sushma Swaraj says Pakistan broke understanding, and let media hassle kin.

11:12 am: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has started speaking on the Kulbhushan Jadhav case.

11:04 am: Congress’ Mallikarjun Kharge objected to Ananth Kumar Hegde’s clarification, following which Hegde said, ‘If anyone was hurt by my statements I tender an apology.”

11:02 am: Hegde also says, “I deeply respect the Constitution, the Parliament & Baba Saheb Ambedkar. The Constitution is supreme for me, there can be no question on it, as a citizen I can never go against it.”

11:01 am: Ananth Kumar Hegde says, “Regarding the deadlock in Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha due to my statement, I want to assure my friends that constitution is supreme to me, Parliament is supreme to me.”

Ananth Kumar Hegde. (Source: ANI photo)

10:56 am: Meanwhile, Congress leaders including Rahul Gandhi and Ghulam Nabi Azad protest inside Parliament premises over Ananth Kumar Hegde’s comments on the constitution.

Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi & GN Azad, protest in front of Gandhi status inside Parliament premises over Ananth Kumar Hegde’s comments on the constitution. pic.twitter.com/8s2RemuZZU

— ANI (@ANI) December 28, 2017

10:55 am: Congress leader Salman Khurshid says, “I don’t think we can support it because they didn’t made us understand how this criminality of Triple Talaq will benefit women. If someone is lodged in prison as a punishment for saying Triple Talaq, who will take care of his family.”

10:50 am: External Affairs Minister Susuma Swaraj also arrives at the Parliament.

(Source: Express photo by ANIL Sharma)

10:38 am: Union Minister Ananth Kumar says that PM Narendra Modi has appealed for consensus in passing bill on triple talaq at BJP Parliamentary Party meet.

(Source: ANI photo)

10:30 am: Another victim Faiza Khan says, “We are really happy that the procedure started by Modi Ji & Yogi Ji for Muslim women is going to succeed. This day will be more significant in Muslim women’s life than Eid or Bakrid.”

10:26 am: “People like us who have been divorced & those who are threatened with divorce would be benefited from this law. If a law is formed for Triple Talaq just like there is a law for domestic violence, we will get some relief,” ANI quoted a triple talaq victim Huma Khayanat as saying.

10:14 am: BJP Parliamentary party meeting underway at Parliament’s Library Building.

(Source: Express photo by Praveen Jain) (Source: Express photo by Praveen Jain)

9:50 am: PM Modi, Rajnath Sing, Arun Jaitley and others arrive for BJP Parliamentary party meting at Parliament’s Library Building. See pictures

(Source: Express photo by Praveen Jain) (Source: Express photo by Praveen Jain) (Source: Express photo by Praveen Jain) (Source: Express photo by Praveen Jain)

09:49 am: Congress to protest in front of Gandhi status inside Parliament premises at 10 am over GST and Ananth Kumar Hegde’s comments on the Constitution.

09:43 am: Describing Pakistan as “hypocritical”, Trinamool Congress leader Saugata Roy said the incident should be criticised and demanded that Swaraj should speak on the issue.

09:42 am: Also, Opposition members on Wednesday condemned the hostile reception accorded to Jadhav’s wife Chetna and mother Avanti during their visit. “We condemn the way Kulbhushan Jadhav’s mother and wife were treated in Pakistan. Kulbhushan Jadhav should be brought back to the country,” Leader of the Congress in Loksabha, Mallikarjun Kharge said.

09:41 am: The bill was listed for introduction last week, but Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said it would be introduced this week.

9: 40 am: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had already issued a whip to all its party members to be present in the Parliament in a bid to ensure that the introduction of the triple talaq bill is smooth and any stiff opposition from members on the other side at the introduction stage could be thwarted.