Congress and BJP spar over PM Modi's Triple Talaq remarks

Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to the Muslim community to find proper solution for Triple Talaq, the Congress rebuffed his assertion dubbing it as 'insignificant' while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) strongly backed him saying that the saffron party is consistently working for the dignity of every Indian. 'Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government is consistently working for the dignity of every Indian. When it comes to the triple talaq issue, it is not a political issue. It has to be seen as the benchmark for women's right in terms of Constitutional rights of equality before law,' BJP leader Nalin Kohli told ANI.

On the contrary, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge dubbed Prime Minister's assertion as insignificant adding that he made the statement eyeing upcoming elections in Karnataka.

'Prime Minister Modi made the statement eyeing upcoming elections in Karnataka. He has been doing this and will also continue to do in future. He is following the ideology of RSS. His speech does not hold any significance,' Kharge told ANI.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier in the day appealed to the Muslim community to find proper solution to end the controversial practice of triple talaq.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the Muslim community on Saturday to ensure that the triple talaq issue was not "politicised", and hoped that intellectuals from the community would come forward to fight the practice.

Addressing an event marking the birth anniversary of Kannada philosopher Basaveshwar in Delhi, Modi voiced the hope that Muslims in India would "show the path of modernity" to their counterparts across the world. "There is

so much debate on the triple talaq these days. Looking at the great tradition of India, my mind is filled with the hope that powerful people will emerge from the community in this country (to) eradicate outdated practices, evolve modern systems," he said.

In his 40-minute speech, the prime minister spoke about women's empowerment, equality and good governance. "It is the strength of our country's soil that people from the (Muslim) community will emerge to save our mothers and sisters from this trouble," he said, referring to the practice of triple talaq.

"I will urge people from the community to not allow the issue to get politicised," Modi told the gathering at the event, which was also attended by Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar.