Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh on Friday reaffirmed that his party will take “all democratic routes” to oppose the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, which is set to be tabled in Parliament. He asserted that the INDIA bloc is firmly against the “content, intent, and extent” of the proposed legislation.
Ahead of the second half of the Budget session, Ramesh revealed that extensive consultations will take place among INDIA bloc parties to formulate a joint strategy against the bill. Leaders of opposition in both Houses will soon coordinate with allies on this matter.
In an interview with PTI, Ramesh emphasized that there is “absolutely no doubt” about Congress’s opposition to the bill, adding that several political parties share similar concerns. According to him, the entire INDIA bloc is aligned in its resistance to what he described as an attempt to subvert parliamentary democracy. He accused the BJP-led government of pushing the bill through Parliament in a manner that “mocked” the joint committee process.
Calling the bill “controversial,” Ramesh declared that the Congress will oppose it “lock, stock, and barrel.” He criticized the way the joint committee functioned, alleging that certain witnesses were called selectively while others were excluded. “For the first time in parliamentary history, a joint committee has submitted a report on a bill without a clause-by-clause discussion,” he pointed out.
The Congress leader, who was previously part of the JPC on the data protection bill chaired by a BJP MP, claimed that despite ideological differences, a proper clause-wise discussion took place in that instance. However, he alleged that such democratic procedures were ignored while drafting the Waqf (Amendment) Bill.
The Congress is in touch with INDIA bloc partners, Ramesh said, adding that party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha opposition leader Rahul Gandhi will soon initiate discussions with allies. He claimed that while opposition parties are united against the bill, even JD(U) and TDP MPs are “privately uneasy” about it but are allegedly being pressured by the BJP to fall in line.
“I don’t know how JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar and TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu will act, but their real stance will be exposed,” Ramesh remarked. He also expressed uncertainty about when the bill would be listed, but assured that the Congress would use all democratic means to resist its passage.
Regarding the second half of the Budget session, Ramesh detailed the parliamentary agenda, which includes discussions on ministries’ demands for grants, the finance bill, and the appropriation bill. Congress has proposed focusing on key ministries such as home, education, social justice, railways, and health.
The 31-member joint committee on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, after multiple sittings, recommended several amendments. However, opposition members objected to the final report and submitted dissent notes. The 655-page report was presented to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on January 30. The panel adopted it by a 15-11 majority vote, which Ramesh described as a BJP-driven move to “destroy Waqf boards.”
The bill was initially introduced in the Lok Sabha by Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on August 8, before being referred to the joint committee. Opposition parties have since criticized the process, alleging that the bill aims to centralize control over Waqf properties while sidelining stakeholders.
Asked about INDIA bloc tensions in recent assembly elections, Ramesh downplayed differences, emphasizing that the alliance was primarily formed to contest the Lok Sabha elections. He acknowledged that Congress competes with the Left in Kerala and the TMC in West Bengal but reiterated that state-level dynamics do not undermine the broader opposition alliance.
Despite setbacks in some state polls, Ramesh insisted that the INDIA bloc remains strong and will closely coordinate in the upcoming parliamentary session. With the Budget session set to resume on March 11 and conclude on April 4, all eyes will be on the opposition’s strategy to counter the Waqf (Amendment) Bill and other contentious legislations.
