Opposition Walkout Over Waqf Bill Report Sparks Parliamentary Debate

Opposition Walkout Over Waqf Bill Report Sparks Parliamentary Debate

Dil Bar Irshad | February 14, 2025 | 10:51 AM IST | Breaking News, India, Politics | Tags: India News Today, Opposition, Waqf Bill Report | Follow on Google News

Opposition Walkout Over Waqf Bill Report Sparks Parliamentary Debate

VoM News

The presentation of the Joint Parliamentary Committee’s (JPC) report on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha on Thursday ignited a contentious debate, culminating in an opposition walkout. Jagdambika Pal, the committee’s chairman, strongly criticized the opposition’s actions, describing their departure as an affront to parliamentary democracy and established legislative traditions.

The opposition’s protest stemmed from allegations that dissenting notes submitted by panel members had been omitted or redacted in the final report. This contention led to vocal objections within both Houses of Parliament, culminating in the opposition’s withdrawal from proceedings.

In response to the controversy, Union Home Minister Amit Shah intervened, stating that the government had no objections to the full inclusion of the dissenting notes. He urged the Speaker, Om Birla, to ensure the report adhered to procedural norms and incorporate the dissent notes as appropriate. Speaker Birla affirmed that necessary amendments would be made, yet the opposition persisted with its protest and walked out of the Lok Sabha.

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Pal argued that this decision undermined parliamentary decorum, suggesting that by rejecting the Speaker’s assurance, the opposition was effectively challenging the authority of the presiding officer. He further described the walkout as an unprecedented episode in parliamentary history, asserting that it would be widely condemned.

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The report in question contained 281 pages of dissent notes, highlighting the extent of opposition concerns regarding the bill. Despite the political discord, Shah maintained that his party remained open to procedural rectifications to ensure that all parliamentary voices were duly represented in official documentation.

Dil Bar Irshad

Dil Bar Irshad is a seasoned journalist, hails from Jammu Kashmir's Doda, covers political, social, business stories, index stories.