Did the Narendra Modi-led government send the Waqf bill for consultation due to disquiet from allies? The Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) attempted to introduce sweeping changes to the regulations governing Waqf Board properties, but this move has received a lukewarm response from its allies.

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju presented the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha today, emphasizing that the proposed amendments aim to reform Waqf board operations and address flaws in the Waqf Act of 1995.

Rijiju assured that the changes would neither infringe upon religious freedoms nor violate constitutional provisions.

Instead, he argued, the amendments would 'correct the mistakes' of previous Congress administrations and 'bring in discipline,' while extending rights to those previously overlooked.

Despite Rijiju's assurances, the bill sparked heated debates in Parliament, with opposition members labeling the amendments as 'anti-secular' and detrimental to the Muslim community.

In response to the uproar, the government decided to refer the bill to a parliamentary committee for detailed discussion.

According to sources, several BJP allies, including the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Jana Sena Party (JSP), and Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), advised the government to avoid rushing the bill through without thorough consultation.

They called for broader discussions with all parties before proceeding.

While the LJP remained non-committal on the bill, the TDP, JSP, and other allies such as the JD(U) and Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) voiced their support during today's parliamentary session.

An MP from one of the parties advocating for the bill's referral to a committee confirmed that their support was conditional on this step.

'The government assured us that the legislation would be sent to a parliamentary committee for wider consultation.

So we agreed to support the bill,' the MP said.

On the House floor, TDP MP G.

M.

Harish Balayogi expressed his party's support for the bill but acknowledged the importance of sending it to a parliamentary panel.

'I appreciate the government's intent in bringing this bill.

The purpose of Waqf land donors must be protected.

When purpose and power are misused, it is the government's responsibility to introduce reforms and transparency.

If wider consultations are needed to dispel misconceptions and educate members on the bill's intent, we have no objection to referring it to a select committee,' Balayogi stated, as reported by sources.

LJP MP Shambhavi Choudhary echoed similar sentiments outside Parliament, affirming her party's support for the bill while expressing no objection to a referral to a parliamentary panel if necessary.

In a surprising development, the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), usually a reliable NDA ally, opposed the bill.

YSRCP leader Mithun Reddy aligned with the opposition on this issue, adding another layer of complexity to the government's efforts to secure unanimous support for the amendments.

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill seeks to introduce significant reforms to the existing Waqf law, including provisions for greater representation within Waqf boards, such as the inclusion of Muslim women and non-Muslims.

The bill also proposes renaming the Waqf Act of 1995 to the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development Act, signaling a broader commitment to inclusivity and modernization.