The report from the joint committee regarding the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, was presented and subsequently accepted by the Rajya Sabha, despite significant protests from the opposition. This led to chairperson Jagdeep Dhankhar briefly adjourning proceedings on Thursday.
As soon as Rajya Sabha MP Medha Kulkarni tabled the report on the Bill—designed to streamline the registration of Waqf properties—opposition members claimed that portions of dissent notes had been removed and began to chant slogans in protest. The uproar continued even as Dhankhar attempted to read a message from the President when proceedings resumed. Ultimately, the opposition staged a walkout during the discussion on the report.
Leader of the Opposition and Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge stated that the opposition would not accept “fake reports” that “bulldoze our views.” He called for the report to be returned to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for reexamination. Kharge emphasized that the JPC report included several members’ dissenting opinions, and it was inappropriate to remove those notes, labelling it as anti-democratic. “We will never accept such fake reports. If the report does not include dissenting views, it should be sent back and presented again,” he said.
In a show of unity, several MPs from the INDIA alliance supported Kharge’s position. Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant argued that clause-by-clause discussions were never conducted in the JPC meetings, which led to the issuance of their dissent note that was subsequently removed.
In response to Kharge’s assertions, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju stated that the dissent notes were included in the appendix of the report and accused the opposition of misleading the House. “There has been no deletion or removal from the report. The members of the opposition are creating an unnecessary issue,” he asserted.
Union Minister and BJP president JP Nadda criticized the opposition by saying that “some were trying to fight the Indian state,” likely referencing Rahul Gandhi’s controversial remark from the previous year. Last year, Gandhi had stated that the Congress was not only opposing the BJP and the RSS but was also in conflict with the “Indian state.”
