AIADMK stand on triple talaq bill unchanged: Minister

The minister’s response comes within a day after the lonely AIADMK MP OP Raveendranath voted in favour of the bill in Lok Sabha and went a step further by heaping praises on PM Narendra Modi for championing the case of women equality. However, Jayakumar evaded the query on why MP Raveendranath, son of party convener O Panneerselvam, supported the bill introduced by the BJP in Lok Sabha.

With party leaders Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam remaining mute on the subject, there is a mixed response among the AIADMK leaders. Just a few months back, AIADMK leader and former MP Anwar Raja openly criticised the BJP for imposing triple talaq bill in the house and said his party will never support the bill that eats in to the rights of Muslim minorities.

When asked to clarify the AIADMK stand on the issue, Minister Jayakumar said, “Already Amma (Jayalalithaa) had clearly taken a stand on the triple talaq bill. There is no second opinion on this. Our support is to ensure women empowerment and freedom to all communities. But at the same time, some shariyat laws have to be reformed and Amma explained the same. We will oppose the triple talaq bill in Rajya Sabha,” Jayakumar said.

“This is another u-turn by our party changing the stand. Amma never allowed food security bill, NEET and Aadhaar card, but the Centre seem to have a free run and such change of political stance will affect the party in the long run. There are issues between the AIADMK leaders and it has started reflecting,”said an AIADMK MLA wishing not to be named confirming that the team OPS is inching closer to the saffron party. Sources in the AIADMK say that this sudden shift will affect the partywhich enjoys good per cent ofMuslim vote bank in Vellore, Ramanathapuram and Chennai.