Leaders of the opposition alliance ‘INDIA’ convened on Tuesday to express their opposition to the Waqf Amendment Bill scheduled for presentation by the government in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. Attendees indicated a willingness to engage in discussions and to seek a vote on their proposed amendments. The Business Advisory Committee has allocated an 8-hour timeframe for the bill, which will follow the question hour.
The meeting included prominent figures such as Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav, RJD leader Manoj Jha, Trinamool Congress leader Kalyan Banerjee, and representatives from the Aam Aadmi Party and Nationalist Congress Party, among others. Post-meeting, opposition leaders reaffirmed their determination to counter the amendment, with KC Venugopal criticizing it as unconstitutional and politically motivated.
Kalyan Banerjee highlighted the BJP’s reluctance to engage in meaningful discussions, assuring that opposition members would actively participate in debates and propose amendments. Political parties have instructed their Lok Sabha members to attend the discussions, with the BJP and NDA allies issuing a whip to support the government. Similarly, Congress and other opposition factions have called for their members to be present to uphold their stance against the bill.
