Govt Lists Waqf Bill For Passage In Budget Session, Opposition Raises Kumbh Stampede At All-Party Meet
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 is set to be tabled for passage in the Budget Session. Opposition criticised the government for ignoring their amendments on the Bill and demanded discussion on issues like the Kumbh Mela stampede, unemployment, inflation, and AI's impact.
The union government has listed the much-awaited Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 for passage in the upcoming Budget Session of Parliament. The Joint Parliamentary Committee on Thursday submitted the draft report to Lok Sabha Speaker for his final approval. After this, the report will be laid on the floor of the house next week, along with the amended and revised bill. The JPC has approved 14 amendments to the original bill which was introduced in August 2024, after which it was sent for JPC scrutiny.
Since the first part of the Budget Session will only have discussion on the Presidential address and the Union Budget, it is likely that the government may bring the bill approved by the JPC for passage in the second part of the Budget Session in March.
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A united opposition, however, slammed the government on the passage of the draft report on the Waqf Amendment Bill saying they had no say, and all their amendments were defeated, and that only the amendments presented by the ruling party were taken up and considered.
Meanwhile, during the all-party meeting, Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav lashed out at the Uttar Pradesh government and administration for the “mismanagement of Kumbh Mela". He said that when he raised the issue at the all-party meeting, he saw no response coming in from the government, especially Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who is from the same state. Yadav demanded a discussion on the Kumbh Mela stampede, which resulted in the death of 30 citizens, injuring 60 others. He also questioned as to why preference was being given only to VIPs and VVIPs, and the common man was left “panting for breath".
This is also one of the issues that the Congress party is expected to raise in the upcoming session of Parliament. Congress Rajya Sabha MP Pramod Tiwari said that apart from this, the party has also decided to raise the issue of the “kind of statements that are made by Union Home Minister Amit Shah against the likes of BR Ambedkar and Mohan Bhagwat’s statement on when India got freedom, which saw a controversy when he said that India’s freedom came on the day when the consecration ceremony of the Ram Mandir took place.
Meanwhile, AIADMK, BJP’s former ally, would like the government to take up the issue of farmers and fishermen in Tamil Nadu. Former deputy Lok Sabha Speaker Thambi Durai said his party would also like a detailed discussion on the development between India and China and India and US, especially in the wake of the new government in the US.
The Aam Aadmi Party raised issues concerning the public, especially the youngsters, after China’s “Deep Seek" is making waves in the field of artificial intelligence. The AAP has also requested the government to tell Parliament about the current status of the border management between India and China, especially in Arunachal Pradesh.
The Biju Janata Dal raised key issues concerning the public, including demanding a discussion on lack of jobs and unemployment. Sasmit Patra said his party also drew the attention of the government on the crucial issue of inflation, which is “burning a hole in the pocket of the common man." Most importantly, the BJD has wanted a clarification and discussion on the demand for special category status for Odisha. The BJD MP said it was promised to the state from the time that Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power in 2014. “Now that the BJP also has a government at the Centre and as well as the state, why is it that this demand has not been fulfilled," Patra questioned. The BJD also echoed the same demands as other opposition MPs on questioning the government on “mismanagement of Kumbh."
Apart from this, the other parties that joined the chorus of demanding answers on the Kumbh stampede include TMC, RJD, and JMM among others.
Another issue that was discussed at the meeting was the new crucial and controversial UGC rule which allows governors to have a say in the appointment of Vice Chancellor to state on universities. Earlier Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin also wrote to his colleagues in the non-BJP rule states to raise their voice against the matter. Therefore, parties like JMM, DMK, and TMC were among those parties who demanded a discussion on the matter.
BJP’s alliance partner JDU has demanded that the term of the JPC examining One Nation One Election must be extended further and that the government should not be pushing for a quick passage of the bill. The JDU also said the impact of artificial intelligence on the country and its impact on the youth in particular must be discussed in Parliament.
Speaking after the all party meeting on behalf of the government, Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju said that it was a comprehensive meeting during which discussion took place on multiple matters. He acknowledged that the opposite parties had made demands for discussion on a few issues which can only happen in the second part of the budget session, “but in case there was some requirement to hold a discussion on something urgently, that would be discussed in the business advisory committee meeting."
The first part of the budget session will begin on January 31 with the President of India Droupadi Murmu’s address to both Houses of Parliament. This will be followed by the Economic Survey being tabled. On February 1, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union Budget 2025.
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