NEW DELHI: Defying resistance from opposition parties and Muslim bodies like All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), the govt has decided to seek passage of Waqf (Amendment) Bill in Lok Sabha on Wednesday, clearing the way for a showdown in the House.
With the numbers arrayed on its side thanks to support from ‘secular’ allies TDP, JD(U) and LJP, the govt has also decided to push for the bill to be passed by Rajya Sabha on Thursday.
The INDIA bloc met on Tuesday evening and decided to participate in the debate and oppose it with gusto, with the leadership agreeing against any disruption or boycott when the legislation is taken up.
TDP, JDU & LJP say their suggestions on waqf bill accepted, set to vote in support
Sources said there was complete unanimity that opposition should put forth its viewpoint on Waqf (Amendment) Bill forcefully. They will seek voting on the bill.
Govt’s urgency and determination, significant in view of the ‘black armband’ protest by Muslim organisations in different parts during Eid prayers, was evident at the business advisory committee (BAC) meeting Tuesday with govt not agreeing to opposition’s demand for a 12-hour discussion in LS, something which would have raised doubts about passage of the bill in Parliament by Friday when the Budget session concludes. Lok Sabha will now have an eight-hour debate which, by all accounts, is going to be a stormy affair.
A teaser of what could unfold was on display at BAC meeting when opposition, unhappy with Speaker Om Birla’s assurance that he was open to extending the debate depending on the views of the House, walked out.
Majority of the parties, including BJP, Congress and their respective allies, have issued whips to their MPs to attend the House for the next couple of days, beginning with Wednesday noon when minority affairs minister Kiren Rijiju is scheduled to introduce the bill, redrafted in accordance with the suggestions made by a joint parliamentary committee.
However, the political heat and length of the debate are unlikely to have any bearing on the final outcome as the numbers heavily favour NDA. The strength of the alliance in LS is 293, comfortably ahead of the majority mark in the 542-member House.
Even in Rajya Sabha, NDA has surpassed the majority mark with 126 members on its side in the House of 236 members, including two independents and six nominated members, who invariably vote in support of the govt. A few abstentions are not ruled out, sources said.
Meanwhile, opposition bloc dubbed the bill “unconstitutional, anti-minority and anti-Muslim”. It said the bill was brought with the idea of harassing one religious community. Led by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, it was decided that opposition should rebuff the possibility of disruption, and should not boycott or walk out. “The House should run smoothly and all should speak on the bill,” sources quoted Kharge as saying at INDIA bloc meeting.
Arvind Sawant of Sena UBT said, “Opposition is united. This bill is divisionary. We will take part in the discussion and see if govt has incorporated our suggestions and amendments in the bill.”
BJP allies TDP, JDU and LJP, which had initially expressed reservations over some aspects of the bill, came around claiming that their suggestions, based on feedback from their Muslim constituents, were incorporated in the new bill.
