‘Sonia Gandhi Maafi Maango’: Treasury Benches Protest Congress Leader’s ‘Brazen Assault’ Remarks On Waqf Bill & Centre | (Photo Courtesy: X/@ANI)
New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has asked for Congress veteran Sonia Gandhi’s apology over her ‘brazen assault’ remarks on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, which was passed in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha on Friday, April 4.
The Lok Sabha proceedings were reportedly adjourned after protests by treasury benches, who started raising slogans like “Sonia Gandhi maafi maango” (Apologise, Sonia Gandhi), for her statement that the BJP is polarising the nation and the Waqf Bill is a ‘brazen assault’ on the Constitution.
During her address at the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) general body meeting on Thursday, April 3, Gandhi criticised the BJP-led government, alleging that the Opposition members weren’t allowed to express their views in the Lok Sabh and Rajya Sabha during the discussion about the passage of the Bill. “It is a matter of grave concern to our democracy that the 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,” she added.
She further said, “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.”
Have a look at her official statement here:
Earlier on Friday, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh also announced that the party is likely to challenge the constitutionality of the revised Bill in the Supreme Court.
The Waqf Bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha with 128 members voting in its favour and 95 against it. In Lok Sabha, the Bill was passed with 288 votes, while 232 members voted against it.
