Waqf Bill Bares Deepening Muslim Politics Congress Conundrum

BJP Asserts Contentious Bill Passage Prowess with ‘Congress startegy’

By Manish Anand

New Delhi, April 5: A perfect soft-landing of contentious Waqf Board Amendment Bill by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is a stunning blow to the Congress claims of playing an assertive Opposition role in parliament. The BJP by all accounts appears to have caged the Congress in its Muslim politics conundrum.

Union Minister for Home Affairs Amit Shah led the saffron charge in debate on the Waqf Board Amendment Bill in both the houses of parliament. Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi wasn’t visible enough during the debate in the House.

Shah took part in debates in both the Houses of parliament even while the subject was not related to Ministry of Home Affairs. Shah also stayed in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha chambers for a long duration.

Congress observers kept a watch on Gandhi’s presence and participation in the Lok Sabha during the Waqf Board Bill debate. The spotlight on Congress benches went to the likes of Gaurav Gogoi, Shashi Tharoor, and others. They all are arguably political pygmies.

Waqf Amendment Bill: What Lies Next for Burying Minorityism?

It may not be out of place to question Rahul staying away from the debate. The Gandhi family has double-engine in the Lok Sabha, with Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also taking the second row in the lower house of parliament.

Indeed, Rahul presided over a strategy meeting ahead of the Waqf Board Amendment bill debate in the Lok Sabha. But the people largely pay least attention to close door strategy meetings. They don’t produce viral video clips.

The BJP has crafted the art of instilling morbid fear in the Congress around the politics of minorityism. The BJP warmed up to the Waqf Board passage in parliament by bashing the Congress for Karnataka’s four per cent reservation for Muslim contractors.

The Congress despite moving privilege motions against Union Ministers JP Nadda and Pralhad Joshi in the Rajya Sabha for alleged ‘falsehood’ on four per cent Muslim reservation remained defensive. The BJP went scorching lock stock and barrel to leave the Congress petrified.

The BJP executed the strategy with elan for the passage of the Waqf Board Amendment Bill. The only credible Opposition face seemed to by AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi.

The Congress goes into a key national convention in Gujarat, to be held on April 8-9. But the main Opposition party may have to battle deepening doubts in ranks of the party’s buttery grip on politics of secularism.

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About The Author

Manish Anand

Manish Anand is a senior journalist with more than two decades of hardcore reporting on beats such as Prime Minister’s Office, Parliament, BJP, Congress, Planning Commission, NITI Aayog, and scores of Union Ministries.

His past has been with The New Indian Express, The Asian Age/Deccan Chronicle, and The Statesman.

For about 15 years, Manish was also a regular commentator and host for talks on AIR on foreign affairs.

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