The BJP has issued a whip to its MPs for the tabling of Waqf Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha. The bill faces opposition resistance, with heated debates expected during the scheduled 8-hour discussion.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has issued a whip to all its Lok Sabha MPs, mandating their presence in Parliament on Wednesday, 2 April, as the House takes up crucial legislative business, including the contentious Waqf Amendment Bill.
“All BJP Members in Lok Sabha are hereby informed that some very important Legislative Business will be taken up for passing in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, the 2nd April 2025. All Members of BJP in Lok Sabha are therefore requested to be positively present in the House throughout the day on Wednesday, the 2nd April 2025 and support the Government’s stand,” BJP Chief Whip (Lok Sabha) Sanjay Jaiswal stated.
Meanwhile, opposition parties under the INDIA bloc are set to hold a floor leaders’ meeting at 6 PM on Tuesday to strategise their approach to the Waqf Amendment Bill, news agency ANI reported, citing sources.
The Congress has also issued a three-line whip for three days in Lok Sabha, as per ANI.
Waqf Amendment Bill Now Prevents Retroactive Application
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, set to be tabled in the Lok Sabha tomorrow, has undergone significant amendments based on the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC)'s recommendations.
According to news agency IANS, key changes in the bill include allowing state governments to appoint officers to decide Waqf property status and exempting existing mosques and dargahs from retroactive application. Additionally, it mandates that Auqaf lists be updated within 90 days, and the Waqf Council will now include two non-Muslim members.
The Joint Secretary related to Waqf matters will also become an ex-officio member, IANS reported.
Heated Debate Expected On Waqf Amendment Bill
Sparks are expected to fly in the Lok Sabha as the Waqf Amendment Bill faces strong resistance from the opposition. The Bill will be taken up for discussion for eight hours, after which Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju will respond and seek the House’s approval, news agency PTI reported.
The matter was discussed during the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting chaired by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. While the opposition sought 12 hours for debate, the government pushed for a shorter discussion, leading to heated exchanges and a walkout by opposition members. Rijiju later told reporters that some parties had proposed four to six hours, while the opposition insisted on 12. The Speaker decided on an eight-hour debate, extendable based on the House’s sentiment.
He accused the opposition of making excuses to avoid discussion. “Some parties are trying to create some excuses to run away from the discussion,” Rijiju said, as quoted by PTI.
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey defended the Bill, asserting that separate laws for Hindus and Muslims have historically led to divisions in the country. He claimed that the original Muslim Waqf Act was introduced by Muhammad Ali Jinnah in 1911 and remained known as the “Jinnah Act” until 1954.
“In 1911, Jinnah Sahib brought the Muslim Waqf Act. Until 1954, it was known as the Jinnah Act. Separate laws for Hindus and Muslims have divided the country into two parts. Whenever there were elections, Congress, for Muslim vote-bank politics, misled the Muslims,” Dubey told ANI.
He also alleged that Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee attempted to attack BJP MP Jagdambika Pal with a bottle during one of the 60 JPC meetings on the Bill.
Asaduddin Owaisi's ‘Waqf Barbaad Bill’ Jibe, Akhilesh Yadav Slams BJP
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi strongly opposed the Bill, calling it unconstitutional and a violation of Articles 14, 25, 26, and 29 of the Indian Constitution. “This is not a Waqf Bill; rather, it is a ‘Waqf Barbaad Bill’ (Waqf Destruction Bill),” Owaisi remarked. He questioned NDA allies, including Nitish Kumar, N. Chandrababu Naidu, Chirag Paswan, and Jayant Chaudhary, over their support for the Bill.
“If Chandrababu Naidu, Nitish Kumar, Chirag Paswan and Jayant Chaudhary will praise it then they are doing so for their political reasons… They are supporting it, but what answer will they give to the public after five years? If no non-Hindu can become a member of the Hindu Endowment Board, then why are you making a non-Muslim here?…” Owaisi said.
Minister of State and JD(U) MP Ram Nath Thakur expressed the party's support to the Waqf Amendment Bill, saying, "Our party stands with the government. When it (Bill) comes tomorrow, it will be deliberated on...They (Opposition) can oppose after it is discussed...Bill will be presented at 12 noon...JD(U) stands with the government."
Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav accused the BJP of engaging in vote-bank politics. “Every decision of BJP is for votes and to make their people happy. Samajwadi Party is against the Waqf Bill. They (BJP) want complete control,” he said.
Yadav further alleged that the BJP introduced the Bill to divert attention from economic issues such as unemployment and farmers’ distress. “Whether it is GST, demonetisation or other decisions, they (BJP) work to snatch something or the other from the people. Through Waqf, they want to send a message to fix their vote bank because they didn’t provide employment, farmer income didn’t double, so their voters are also not happy with them,” he said.
BJD MP Sasmit Patra expressed concerns over whether opposition voices had been considered, noting that copies of the Bill had not been circulated. “As for the specifics of the bill, its copies have not been circulated yet. BJD has serious concerns about this Bill. The concern is not that JPC met but whether the voice of the opposition has been taken into consideration or not,” Patra told ANI.
Milind Deora Says ‘Indian Muslims Don’t Want Appeasement’
Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora, however, defended the Bill, drawing comparisons with previous contentious issues such as the abrogation of Article 370 and the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). “Even at the time when Article 370 in J&K was abrogated and when CAA was implemented, a fake narrative was built… Another fake narrative that the Constitution is in danger was spread during the Lok Sabha elections. Similar is being done today. Indian Muslims don’t want appeasement but empowerment. I want to assure Muslims that this Bill will empower them,” Deora said.
With the opposition firmly against the Bill and the government determined to push it through, a stormy session in the Lok Sabha is expected on Wednesday. The current parliamentary session is set to conclude on 4 April.
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