Uproar in Rajya Sabha as Waqf Bill report tabled | WATCH

New Delhi: The report of the joint committee of Parliament on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill was tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, triggering chaos as opposition leaders protested the alleged removal of dissent notes. The uproar led to a brief adjournment of proceedings, as both sides engaged in a heated debate.

The report was presented by BJP MP Medha Vishram Kulkarni, but opposition MPs, led by Congress president and Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, accused the government of sidelining dissenting voices. Kharge claimed that opposition members’ notes had been redacted, calling the report “fake” and demanding its withdrawal. He further alleged that the bill targeted a specific community, prompting widespread protest.

Amid the uproar, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar urged members to maintain order, especially when he attempted to read out a message from President Droupadi Murmu. However, the disruptions continued, with some MPs storming into the well of the House. Leader of the House JP Nadda condemned the disorder, while Chairman Dhankhar named MPs Samirul Islam, Nadimul Haque, and M Mohamed Abdulla for disrupting proceedings.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju refuted the opposition’s allegations, insisting that no dissent notes had been removed. His claims were backed by Union Ministers Bhupender Yadav and Nirmala Sitharaman, who accused the opposition of misleading the House. However, Congress MP Syed Nasir Hussain maintained that his dissent note had indeed been redacted.

The issue sparked further tensions, with TMC’s Saket Gokhale framing it as a “constitutional issue” rather than a religious one. Despite Rijiju reiterating that the report contained all annexures, opposition members staged a walkout in protest.

Following the walkout, the Rajya Sabha moved ahead with the scheduled Question Hour, but the incident underscored deepening political divides over the Waqf (Amendment) Bill.