Lok Sabha passed the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in the early hours of Thursday, April 2, after an 12-hour-long debate, with 288 members voting for it and 232 voting against.
The hours-long debate saw the ruling NDA defending the legislation as beneficial for minorities, while the opposition described it as “anti-Muslim”. The Bill was passed after all amendments moved by the opposition members were rejected by voice votes.
In his reply to the debate, Union Minorities Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said there is no place in the world safer than India for minorities and they are safe because the majority is entirely secular.
The hours-long debate saw the ruling NDA defending the legislation as beneficial for minorities, while the opposition described it as “anti-Muslim”. The Bill was passed after all amendments moved by the opposition members were rejected by voice votes.
In his reply to the debate, Union Minorities Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said there is no place in the world safer than India for minorities and they are safe because the majority is entirely secular.
United States President Donald Trump sought to fulfil his long-standing promise of imposing high tariffs on several nations as a retaliatory move for levying high duties on the US. On April 2, which he declared as the ‘Liberation Day’ for the American economy, Trump announced a universal tariff of 10 per cent on almost all goods imported in the US, and reciprocal tariffs on around 60 countries in retaliation.
