Opposition members on Tuesday walked out of the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting chaired by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla alleging that the government was bulldozing its agenda and not listening to them.

Sensing that the government is prepared to push the Waqf Amendment Bill through the Lok Sabha on Wednesday despite strong opposition from rival parties, the Opposition vowed to resist the Bill when it comes up for discussion and voting in Parliament.

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According to sources, the government has completed its groundwork for the Bill’s passage backed by its NDA allies and some non-aligned parties. The BJP has issued a three-line whip to all its Lok Sabha MPs, mandating their presence in Parliament on 2nd April and to all its Rajya Sabha MPs to be present in Parliament on 3rd April.

Congress MP and Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi expressed strong disagreement on the Waqf Amendment Bill, stating that the entire nation is watching how the voice of democracy is being crushed in the Lok Sabha. “We walked out of the House. I don’t know what is in their (government’s) mind. I hope that the Speaker will take note of all of this. The entire country is seeing how the voice of democracy is being crushed slowly in the Lok Sabha,” Gogoi told reporters.

The Congress lawmaker stated that all Opposition parties have demanded discussions of various issues, including the EPIC cards, Manipur’s Presidential Rule resolution, the Waqf Amendment Bill and more under Rule 193. He said Opposition MPs had to walk out under compulsion as they were not left with any other option.

“The Opposition parties have walked out in the middle of the BAC meeting in protest because the government is simply bulldozing its agenda and not listening to the views of the opposition parties. We have asked for a comprehensive discussion on the Waqf Amendment Act. We asked for a proper time to be allocated for the resolution of President’s rule in Manipur, but our advice is not being listened to. … this House has completely become subservient to the government, the whims of the political masters can be seen in the BAC meeting,” he said.

Expressing his dissatisfaction, TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee stated that the government has not allowed any discussion and the Parliament floor is equally important for the opposition. “This is a very sorry state of affairs that we have been compelled to walk out of the meeting. This Budget session was in two parts and from the very first part, we were asking for a discussion under rule 193, especially on EPIC and other issues… If the BAC meeting starts fulfilling the agenda of the treasury bench of the government, what is the use of the meeting of BAC? We had to walk out… Nothing has been allowed to discuss… Parliament floor is equally important for the opposition.”

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said that this is not the Waqf Bill, rather it’s a “Waqf Barbaad Bill”. “…I can speak on behalf of my party that we will participate in the debate, move amendments and present our views. We will say how this Bill is unconstitutional and violates Freedom of Religion for Muslims…,” he added.

On NDA allies’ support for the Bill, he said, “They will have to face consequences… Muslim community has an emotional connect with Waqf because this is ‘Ibadat’ for us… If you keep us devoid of our mosques, dargahs, it will be painful for us. Neither Nitish Kumar, nor Chandrababu Naidu, nor Chirag Paswan or Jayant Chaudhary understand this. So, people will make them understand.”

In Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said, “This bill seems to target only one religion… Targeting Waqf is unfortunate because it seems this action is being taken only against us…Our MPs will oppose this Bill.”

After the BAC meeting, Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju made the announcement that the Waqf (Amendment) Bill will be taken up for consideration and passage in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday with an eight-hour discussion allocated for its deliberation.

Rijiju lashed out at the Opposition leaders for allegedly “misguiding” people and said the Waqf law has been in existence for decades. He told reporters, “But if they (the Opposition) do not want to participate in the discussion by making some excuse, then I cannot stop it. We want a discussion. Every political party has the right to express its opinion, and the country wants to hear which political party has what stands on the amendment Bill.”

BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain told reporters in Lucknow, “Misunderstandings are being created about the Waqf Amendment Bill. Congress and other parties are trying to mislead and instigate Muslims… The Waqf Amendment Bill nowhere says that mosques, dargahs, and other religious places will be taken away by the government. I say this with full responsibility so as not to be influenced by anyone. This Bill only aims to undo the monopoly of mafias on Waqf property…”

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, also called the ‘Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development (UMEED) Bill’, aims to streamline waqf registration through a Central portal, enhance oversight by establishing a Central Waqf Council and state Waqf Boards with representation from Muslim women and non-Muslims, and grant the District Collector authority to determine waqf property status.

The Waqf Act of 1995, enacted to regulate Waqf properties, has long been criticised for issues such as mismanagement, corruption, and encroachments.