Bengaluru: Welcoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s renewed outreach on the issue of triple talaq in which he has asked people not make it a Hindu-Muslim matter, a cautious Congress urged the government to rope in the concerned people whose sentiments might otherwise get affected by its intervention.

“Our party has issued a statement that any progressive measure is welcome, but at the same time they should also seek the consent of stakeholders, particularly those people who are going to be affected and those people whose sentiments will be affected. They have to be taken into confidence,” Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said.

The Prime Minister’s statement evoked a mixed reaction from women activists.

Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan cofounder Zakia Soman had said the statement will go a long way in enabling and supporting struggle for gender justice in Islam, particularly to Muslim women in India.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of National Federation of Indian Women, Annie Raja criticized the Prime Minister for making selective statements on triple talaq and remaining silent on the women’s reservation bill.

Addressing a rally in Mahoba, Uttar Pradesh, Prime Minister Modi criticized political leaders and people on the TV debates, saying such discussions on triple talaq would keep women “deprived of their rights”.

“I request people who participate in TV debates to not make women rights a Hindu- Muslim issue. It is a development issue. The debate should be between the Muslims who are pro and anti-reforms,” he said.

He also said that justice would be given to Muslim women under the Constitution.