Govt will intervene if injustice done in the name of religious freedom: Bandaru Dattatreya

HYDERABAD: The government supports religous freedom but will intervene if injustice was meted out in its name, Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya today said commenting on the issue of triple talaq.

Replying to a question on the issue, he said the Congress should stop making "baseless allegations" against the NDA government and offer constructive ideas instead.

"We are in the space age. Congress and other opposition parties are still in the stone age. Women seek justice. Some Muslim women are also agitating. On the issue of gender justice, we also should not say no. We should not differentiate between Hindu women and Muslim women," the Minister for Labour and Employment told reporters here.

"The government will support religious freedom. But the government will intervene if some injustice is done in the name of religious freedom. So the government had informed the Supreme Court our intention of protecting the rights of women," said Dattatreya.

On October 7, the Centre had opposed before the Supreme Court the practice of triple talaq, nikah halala and polygamy among Muslims.

"A former Union Minister says more Hindus practice polygamy (than Muslims). It is not fair on his part to make such comments. I never expected that Jaipal Reddy will come to that level. I request them to cooperate with the government by giving constructive ideas," he said, referring to Reddy's statement here yesterday.