Waqf Bill Report Tabled in Rajya Sabha Amid Uproar
The report of the joint committee of Parliament on the Waqf bill was tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, sparking an uproar that led to a brief adjournment of the proceedings.
New Delhi: The report of the joint committee of Parliament on the Waqf bill was tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, sparking an uproar that led to a brief adjournment of the proceedings.
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Tensions arose between the treasury and opposition benches over the contents of the report.
Opposition Allegations of Deleted Dissent Notes
Opposition MPs, led by Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, alleged that dissent notes from certain members had been removed from the report. The charge was immediately denied by Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, who claimed there was no alteration of the report.
BJP member Medha Vishram Kulkarni, a member of the joint committee, tabled the report on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill. This action was followed by loud protests from the opposition benches, which intensified as Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar attempted to read a message from President Droupadi Murmu.
Disruption in Rajya Sabha and Adjournment
The uproar continued as Chairman Dhankhar struggled to continue with the proceedings, urging Kharge to ask opposition members to take their seats. In response to the ongoing disruptions, the Upper House was adjourned briefly until 11:20 am.
Upon reconvening, the chairman read out the message from the president acknowledging the expression of thanks by Rajya Sabha members for her address to a joint sitting of Parliament on January 31.
Opposition Protests Over Dissent Notes Removal
When the Chairman attempted to proceed with the Zero Hour, opposition members continued their protests, with some MPs even marching into the well of the House. Leader of the House JP Nadda expressed regret over the lack of order during the reading of the president’s message, while Chairman Dhankhar pointed out that some members, including Samirul Islam, Nadimul Haque, and M Mohamed Abdulla, had created chaos.
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Kharge was then called to address the House, where he accused the government of redacting dissent notes from the Waqf bill report. “The report… has removed the dissent notes of several members. Bulldozing the report by only keeping the views of the majority members is not right,” Kharge stated, condemning the action as anti-democratic and calling the report “fake.”
MPs Protest for Justice for the Community
Kharge further emphasized that the MPs were not protesting for personal reasons but in solidarity with the community facing injustice. He demanded that the report be withdrawn and sent back to the committee for reconsideration.
Minister Rijiju Denies Allegations
In response, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rijiju denied the opposition’s charges, asserting that there was no deletion of any part of the report. “Opposition members are making unnecessary issues. The allegation is false,” he said, accusing them of misleading the House.
Union ministers Bhupender Yadav and Nirmala Sitharaman also supported Rijiju, accusing the opposition of misleading the Upper House. This led to another heated exchange between the treasury and opposition benches.
Walkout by Opposition MPs
Congress MP Syed Nasir Hussain accused Rijiju, who also serves as the Union Minister for Minority Affairs, of misleading the House, claiming that his own dissent note had been redacted. TMC member Saket Gokhale emphasized that the issue was not religious but a constitutional one.
Despite the government’s stance, opposition MPs staged a walkout, and the House proceeded with the Question Hour. The controversy surrounding the Waqf bill report continues to stir debate within the Rajya Sabha.
