Waqf Amendment Bill Tabled in Rajya Sabha; Kiren Rijiju Seeks Opposition’s Support

9
173

New Delhi: Union Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Thursday tabled the Waqf Amendment Bill in the Rajya Sabha, urging the Congress and other Opposition parties to back the legislation.

Following the introduction of the bill in the Upper House, Rijiju highlighted the significance of Waqf properties in India, stating, “As of today, there are 8.72 lakh Waqf properties… In 2006, if the Sachar committee had estimated the earnings from 4.9 lakh Waqf properties at Rs 12,000 crore, then you can imagine the income these properties must be generating now.”

The numbers game in the Rajya Sabha indicates the ruling NDA has 125 MPs, with 98 from the BJP. Its allies include JD(U) with four MPs, Ajit Pawar’s NCP with three, TDP with two, and one each from Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena and the RLD. Additionally, six nominated MPs and members from single-party groups like the Asom Gana Parishad are expected to support the bill.

On the other hand, the Opposition’s INDIA Bloc has 88 MPs, including 27 from the Congress and 13 from the Trinamool Congress. Meanwhile, the stance of Naveen Patnaik’s BJD, which has seven MPs and is not part of the INDIA bloc, remains uncertain. Their vote could be crucial in determining the bill’s fate.

The Waqf Amendment Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday and was passed after a marathon 12-hour debate. The Lower House sat beyond midnight to clear the legislation, with 288 MPs voting in favor and 232 opposing it.

Notably, the government revised the bill after incorporating recommendations from the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), which reviewed the legislation first introduced in August last year. With the Rajya Sabha now set to deliberate on the bill, all eyes are on the floor test, especially on how the BJD and other non-aligned parties will vote.

9 COMMENTS

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here