LS to take up Waqf amendment bill for consideration on Wednesday; discussion proposed for 8 hours

New Delhi: The Waqf Bill, which was amended after the report of a joint parliamentary panel, will be taken up for consideration and passage on Wednesday in the Lok Sabha, sources said. After eight hours of proposed discussion, Minorities Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju will respond to the debate and seek the approval of the House for its passage, the sources said on Tuesday. The issue came for discussion at the meeting of the business advisory committee (BAC) chaired by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, the sources said. While introducing the bill last year, the government had proposed referring it to a joint committee of the two Houses.

After the report was submitted by the panel, the Union Cabinet approved certain changes to the original bill based on the committee's recommendation. At the BAC meet, while the opposition sought 12 hours for discussion, the government said there would be discussion on a statutory resolution denouncing the imposition of central rule in Manipur, hence, not more than eight hours can be given for the Waqf bill. This led to a heated exchange in the meeting between the government and the opposition side, leading to a walk out by the opposition. Home Minister Amit Shah would reply to the discussion on Manipur, the sources said. Opposition parties are strongly opposed to the bill, slamming it as unconstitutional and against the interests of the Muslim community. Several leading Muslim organisations have been rallying support against the bill.