Controversy Erupts Over Waqf (Amendment) Bill Amid Budget Backlash

Akhilesh Yadav accuses the Centre of using the Waqf (Amendment) Bill to distract from a disappointing budget. As controversy grows, opposition raises concerns over unaddressed dissent in the bill's report. Meanwhile, President's Rule in Manipur heightens tensions, following Chief Minister N. Biren Singh's resignation amid ongoing unrest.

Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav on Friday charged the central government with introducing the Waqf (Amendment) Bill merely to divert attention from what he deemed a "disappointing and frustrating" annual budget. According to Yadav, the budget fails to address crucial economic issues, lacking provisions for job creation, doubling farmers' income, and boosting trade.

Yadav further criticized the government's priorities, suggesting the bill serves as a distraction for the public. The Joint Committee of Parliament (JPC) had presented its report on the bill in the legislative chambers amidst considerable uproar from the opposition. BJP MP Medha Vishram Kulkarni submitted the document in the Rajya Sabha, while JPC chairman Jagadambika Pal tabled it in the Lok Sabha amid sustained opposition protests.

Opposition MPs in the Rajya Sabha claimed that dissenting opinions were excluded from the committee's final report, a charge dismissed by Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju. In a related political development, President Droupadi Murmu sanctioned President's Rule in Manipur following N. Biren Singh's resignation as Chief Minister amid ongoing violence and political tumult. The state now faces central governance, with upcoming elections pending.

(With inputs from agencies.)