RJD will oppose Waqf Bill in Parliament: Misa Bharti

Patna April 1 (IANS) The Waqf Amendment Bill, set to be introduced in Parliament on Wednesday, has sparked intense political debate, with the RJD opposing it while JD-U, LJP (Ram Vilas), and HAM extending support to the Central government.

Misa Bharti, RJD MP, reaffirmed her party’s stand against the Bill.

“RJD will oppose the Waqf Bill in Parliament. We have a clear stand right from the beginning, and we are firm on it. I challenge JD-U and LJP (Ram Vilas) to clarify their stance,” Bharti said.

She suspected the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) report may not be introduced, claiming the BJP might push a biased version.

“I strongly suspect that the report prepared by the JPC on the Waqf Bill would not be introduced in the Parliament. BJP may introduce reports that favour its agendas. When the JPC was formed on the Waqf Bill, we had requested the Centre to take one Lok Sabha MP from the RJD, but they ignored it. The people of Bihar are looking towards Nitish Kumar and JD-U,” Bharti said.

Bharti also took a dig at Nitish Kumar’s leadership, “Is Nitish Kumar really running Bihar, or someone else? I doubt that Nitish Kumar is running the Bihar government. JD-U MPs in Delhi have become BJP-friendly.”

Meanwhile, JD-U’s Sitamarhi MP Devesh Chandra Thakur confirmed his party’s support for the Bill. JD-U Parliamentary board has issued a whip, mandating MPs to be present and vote in favour of this bill.

LJP (Ram Vilas) has also issued a whip directing all five Lok Sabha MPs to vote for the Bill.

Jitan Ram Manjhi (HAM) and Upendra Kushwaha (Rajya Sabha MP) have also pledged support to the Bill.

–IANS

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