New Delhi, April 3 As Lok Sabha's Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi, who has consistently opposed the Waqf Bill, chose to skip the crucial debate on the issue in the lower house on Wednesday, prominent Muslim leaders expressed disappointment on Thursday.
All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) member Maulana Khalid Rashid Firangi Mahli and General Secretary of the All India Shia Personal Law Board (AISPLB), Maulana Yasoob Abbas, stated that they had hoped for LoP Gandhi to speak in the Lok Sabha on behalf of the Muslim community.
Speaking to IANS, Maulana Mahli said, "I was surprised that the LoP didn’t make any statement in the Lok Sabha. I hope the Congress party will issue a proper statement."
Maulana Abbas added, "Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi should have given statements. I was expecting Priyanka Gandhi to come and vote against the Waqf Bill, but she did not.
"We see Indira Gandhi in Priyanka Gandhi. The Congress has a history of supporting and speaking for Muslims. The party voted against the Bill, but I wanted to hear Rahul Gandhi speak in the Lok Sabha."
On Wednesday, LoP Gandhi was present in Parliament for a meeting with senior Congress leaders and MPs to discuss the party’s stance on the amendments. However, he left immediately after the meeting, clearly deciding to stay absent from the critical Waqf debate. He later appeared for the voting, facing backlash over his absence during the discussion.
Meanwhile, videos surfaced on social media showing LoP Gandhi arriving just before the voting on the Bill, dressed in cargo pants, a white T-shirt, and chappals, which has drawn criticism online.
Both Muslim leaders also reacted to the Waqf Bill’s tabling in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, stating that they would seek the Supreme Court's intervention if the Bill was passed there as well.
The historic Waqf (Amendment) Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday with 288 members voting in favour after a 13-hour non-stop debate and a total of 232 members opposing it.
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