Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024: Who supports and who opposes it?
What's the story
The Lok Sabha is all set for a heated battle as the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, is scheduled for discussion on Wednesday.
It will be taken up for debate in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.
Kiren Rijiju, Minister of Minority Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs, said an eight-hour debate has been approved by the Lok Sabha's Business Advisory Committee (BAC).
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is confident of support from key allies.
Bill supporters
Supporters of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill
Leaders of parties, including Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) and Lok Janshakti Party (RV) have assured support for the Waqf Amendment Bill, dismissing opposition claims that it violates minority rights.
A senior JD(U) leader said, "Our party has already met representatives of the Muslim Personal Law Board, Waqf Board, and various other religious leaders, and assured them that their concerns will be relayed to the government and addressed."
Party positions
TDP and Shiv Sena's stance on Waqf Bill
The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has also extended support for the bill, saying it wouldn't violate Muslim rights.
TDP spokesperson Prem Kumar Jain said, "Our party will support it. Chandrababu Naidu has already mentioned that we will work in interests of the Muslim community."
Shiv Sena has issued a three-line whip to all its Lok Sabha MPs to be present in the House, backing the government's stand.
Opposition strategy
Opposition's united front against Waqf Bill
Similarly, on the opposition side, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge and other party members have issued whips to ensure their MPs are present in Parliament.
"All the Opposition parties are united and shall work together on the floor of the Parliament," Kharge said.
"We will participate in discussion and voting as well... We want to discuss the matter on the floor of Parliament."
Parliamentary numbers
NDA's parliamentary strength for Waqf Bill
In the Lok Sabha, the current NDA has 293 members, with BJP having 240 in the 543-member Lok Sabha.
Its key partners, the TDP and JDU, have 16 and 12 MPs, respectively. With its partners' numbers, the NDA is anticipated to receive 295 votes, comfortably above the majority mark of 272.
The NDA is also confident of roping in single-member parties such as Asom Gana Parishad and Tamil Mannila Congress, and six nominated members.