Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led Union Government after the Waqf Amendment Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha, calling it a “brazen assault” on the Constitution and an attempt to keep society in “permanent polarization.”
At the CPP general body meeting, Sonia Gandhi stated, “Yesterday, the Waqf Amendment Bill, 2024, was passed in the Lok Sabha, and today, it is scheduled to come up in the Rajya Sabha. The bill was, in effect, bulldozed through. Our party’s position is clear. The Bill is a brazen assault on the Constitution itself. It is very much part of the BJP’s deliberate strategy to keep our society in a state of permanent polarization.”
Sonia Gandhi also criticized the Union Government, claiming that Opposition leaders in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were being denied the opportunity to express their views.
“It is a matter of grave concern to our democracy that the Leader of Opposition (LOP) in the Lok Sabha is not permitted to speak. Similarly, time and again, the LOP in the Rajya Sabha, Khargeji, is also not allowed to say what he wants to say and indeed must say. Like you, I have been witness to how the House gets adjourned not because of us but because of the protests by the Treasury Benches themselves. This is quite extraordinary and shocking, designed to prevent the Opposition from raising their concerns that would put the Government on the spot,” she remarked.
Congress MP Kiran Kumar Chamala also opposed the bill, calling it an attack on the Muslim community. He further accused the BJP of using the Parliament floor as their party’s platform.
“This is a dark day where they have made a law post-midnight when people were sleeping… This is not the mandate of the people. It could be passed only because of Chandrababu Naidu and Nitish Kumar, who joined the NDA post-election for the survival of the 18th Lok Sabha and their government in Andhra Pradesh and Bihar. This bill is against the Muslim community and is not a real democracy… They (BJP) know how to use the Parliament floor as their party’s platform when the Speaker is not even allowing the Opposition parties to object to any issues,” Chamala told ANI.
Speaking to ANI, Congress MP Rajeev Shukla asserted, “The stand taken by the opposition yesterday will be maintained in the Rajya Sabha as well… Congress will stick to its principles.”
Demanding a discussion on the issue, Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury stated, “We want a discussion. If this monopoly right, this monologue continues (in Rajya Sabha), then we will speak against it.”
The Lok Sabha passed the Waqf Amendment Bill 2025 after an intense and lengthy debate, during which members of the INDIA bloc fiercely opposed the legislation, while the BJP and its allies strongly supported it, citing its aim to bring transparency and enhance the efficiency of Waqf boards.
The House sat beyond midnight to pass the legislation. Speaker Om Birla later announced the division’s result: “Subject to correction, Ayes 288, Noes 232. The majority is in favour of the proposal.”
The government introduced the revised bill after incorporating the recommendations of the Joint Parliamentary Committee, which examined the legislation introduced in August last year. The bill seeks to amend the Act of 1995 and improve the administration and management of waqf properties in India. It aims to overcome the shortcomings of the previous act and enhance the efficiency of Waqf boards, improving the registration process and increasing the role of technology in managing waqf records.