Waqf Bill: The amended Waqf Bill, which was referred to a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) in August 2024, is set to be tabled in the Lok Sabha on April 2, according to sources.
Sources told CNN-News18 that the BJP has consulted its allies ahead of the tabling of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, which has sparked strong opposition protests.
Senior government ministers, including Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, reached out to all alliance partners, stressing the importance of their support for the bill and urging them to ensure the maximum participation of their MPs during its passage.
The bill is expected to be presented in the Rajya Sabha for passage on Thursday, following its clearance by the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, sources added.
The ongoing Budget session of Parliament is set to conclude on April 4, and the bill must be passed by both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha to become law.
Earlier in the day, Rijiju said that the government is fully prepared to table the amended Waqf bill in Parliament, as he accused some political parties and organisations of seeking to foment unrest in society and mislead people over its provisions.
“There are some groups, especially people from political parties, who are trying to mislead people over the Waqf Amendment Bill. I want to clearly say to them not to lie and read the Bill properly. India is a democratic country, and everybody has the right to speak, but there should not be an attempt to mislead people by talking wrong. Waqf Bill will be coming up, we are identifying those groups. This is not good for our country," Kiren Rijiju said on Monday.
The amended Waqf Bill has stoked massive political row, with some section of people calling it “unconstitutional," while the ruling party leaders defending it as a necessary measure to ensure openness and safeguard Waqf assets from improper utilisation.
The Kerala Catholic Bishops Council (KCBC) has called on the state’s Members of Parliament to back amendments to the Waqf Act, describing certain provisions as “unconstitutional and unjust."
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman acknowledged the KCBC’s stance on social media, calling it “a welcome step." She emphasised the bishops’ demand to amend sections of the Waqf Act that they consider “unfair" and “anti-constitutional."
Later, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) also joined KCBC in supporting the Waqf Bill, contending that some of its provisions were inconsistent with the Constitution and secular democratic values of the country.
“Over the past three years, this issue has escalated into a complex legal dispute. The fact remains that only a legal amendment can provide a permanent solution, and this must be recognised by the people’s representatives," the CBCI said.
Meanwhile, Karnataka minister Rahim Khan, along with other people were spotted wearing black armbands to express their protest against the Centre’s move.
In Bidar, Minister Khan, who holds a sports and youth empowerment portfolio, reached the mosque with his followers wearing black armbands and offered prayers at the Eidgah Maidan.
