Lok Sabha Adjourned Till 2 PM Amidst Opposition Protests Over Waqf Bill Report

New Delhi: The Lok Sabha was adjourned till 2 PM today following intense uproar by opposition members regarding the Joint Committee Report on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024. The report, which is scheduled to be tabled in the Lower House today, triggered a protest from opposition parties including the Congress, DMK, and Samajwadi Party as the House convened this morning.

Speaker Om Birla attempted to restore order, urging opposition members to allow the scheduled business to proceed. He reassured members that they would have the opportunity to speak once the report was formally presented. However, with the disruptions continuing, Speaker Birla adjourned the proceedings until 2 PM, emphasizing that the Question Hour was vital and such disruptions were inappropriate.

In parallel, the Rajya Sabha also faced a brief adjournment due to similar protests. The report on the Waqf Amendment Bill was tabled by BJP MP Dr. Medha Vishram Kulkarni, but opposition members raised their voices in protest, leading Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar to call for order. Despite repeated appeals, the protests persisted, prompting the Chairman to adjourn the Upper House briefly until 11:20 AM.

Upon resumption, Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjuna Kharge accused the government of excluding dissent notes from the committee’s report, calling it an undemocratic act. He demanded that if the report did not include the dissenting views, it should be sent back to the committee. Similar allegations were raised by Congress MP Nasir Hussain.

In response, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju denied the accusations, stating that no part of the report or dissent notes had been omitted. He clarified that the proceedings were conducted as per the rules, with all dissent notes included in the appendix of the report. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also supported the government’s stance, criticizing the opposition for misleading the House.

Leader of the House J.P. Nadda condemned the opposition’s actions, urging members to adhere to constitutional provisions and allow the House to function smoothly. He expressed disappointment over the opposition’s refusal to cooperate and labeled their behavior as irresponsible.

Unhappy with the government’s response, opposition members staged a walkout from the Rajya Sabha. In turn, Nadda questioned the opposition’s approach, highlighting the disruptions that impeded the functioning of the Upper House.