Kumar Bahukhandi
mage by Arrangement
The Telugu Desam, a key NDA ally, will support the Bill
New Delhi : The government has allotted eight hours for discussion of the contentious Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 in the House on Wednesday April2, 2025 . It will be tabled immediately after the Question Hour. The Rajya Sabha is expected to take it up on Thursday April3, 2025 and has also allocated eight hours.
The Telugu Desam, a key NDA ally, will support the Bill. TD MP and chief whip in the Lok Sabha G.M. Harish Balayogi issued a three-line whip to party MPs to attend Parliament without failing on Wednesday to support the Bill. The Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSR Congress has affirmed that it would oppose the legislation.
The Congress, the BJP and many other parties issued a whip to all their MPs in the Lok Sabha, mandating their presence in the House to support the respective party’s stand.
“The I.N.D.I.A. bloc has decided to vote against the Waqf Bill,” said Revolutionary Socialist Party MP N.L. Premchandran. The Opposition leaders said they would seek division of votes if needed.
“The BJP plays divisive politics, so we know who they are against. We made it clear that we are opposing the amendment bill,” said DMK MP in Lok Sabha Kanimozhi.
“We will take part in discussions. Just like we will listen to them, we will put forth our truth. We will stand with those who work according to the Constitution. The INDIA bloc had a good discussion. We will debate together,” said NCP-SCP MP Supriya Sule.
During the business advisory committee (BAC) meeting on Tuesday, the Opposition sought at least 12 hours for discussion. The Opposition also asserted that there are many other pressing issues to be discussed before the Waqf Bill.
“Dejected” by the government’s stand and accusing it of “bulldozing” its agenda, the Opposition walked out of the meeting. Union minister for minority affairs Kiren Rijiju claimed that the Opposition was trying to create excuses to run away from the discussion. He added that the government was open to listening to every view on the Waqf Bill.
