Rajya Sabha Showdown: NDA’s ‘Agnipariksha’ to Pass Waqf Bill into Law Today

Lok Sabha passed the Waqf Amendment Bill-2025 by voice vote. After a long debate of about 13 hours on the bill, there was a division of votes. In this division, 288 votes were cast in support of the bill and 232 against it. After being passed in the Lok Sabha, this bill will be introduced in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. This bill will be discussed in the Rajya Sabha as well and then there will be a division of votes. Like the Lok Sabha, here too the figures and number game is with the NDA . Experts believe that the BJP will not face any difficulty in getting this bill passed in the Upper House. The budget session of Parliament is ending on April 4. In view of this, the government will try to get this bill passed from the Rajya Sabha. After being passed by both the houses of Parliament, the Waqf Amendment Bill will become a law.

The total number of members in the Upper House at present is 236

Talking about the number game in Rajya Sabha, the total number of members in this upper house is 236. To pass the Waqf Amendment Bill in Rajya Sabha, the government needs the support of 119 MPs. Including nominated and independent members, the NDA's figure reaches 125. Talking about the opposition parties, they have 95. There are 16 members on whom the suspense still remains. Let us know what is the number game in Rajya Sabha.

NDA parties supporting the Wakf Bill

BJP-98

JDU-4

NCP-3

TDP-2

JDS-1

RPI (Athawale)-1

Shiv Sena-1

AGP-1

RLD-1

UPPL-1

RLM-1

PMK-1

TMC M-1

NPP-1

Independent-2

Nominee-6

Total 125

Parties opposing the Wakf Bill (India Alliance)

Congress-27

TMC-13

DMK-10

SP-4

you-10

YSRC-7

RJD-5

JMM-3

CPIM-4

CPI-2

IUML-2

NCP - Pawar - 2

Shiv Sena -UBT- 2

AGM-1

MDMK-1

KCM-1

Independent-1

Total 95

Party BRS-4 which maintained suspense on Wakf Bill

BJD-7

AIADMK-4

BSP-1

Total 16

Rijiju responded to the discussion on the bill

Union Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju, while responding to the discussion on the Wakf Amendment Bill in the House, rejected the claims of several opposition members that the government's move was anti-Muslim and said that this bill is being described as dividing Muslims, whereas the government is bringing together all sections of the community including Shia, Sunni through this. He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government is trying to save even the smallest minority community in the country, the Parsi. Rijiju said, 'The opposition can criticize the government, but it is not right to say that minorities are not safe in India.'

'Minorities are not safer anywhere than in India'

He said, 'I myself am a minority and can say that minorities are not safer anywhere than in India. Every minority community lives with pride in this country.' Taking the opposition members to task, he said, 'Disgracing the country like this in the House...the coming generations will not forgive you.' The minister said that after the passage of the bill, crores of Muslims of the country will thank Prime Minister Modi. After Rijiju's reply, the House passed the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025 by 288 votes against 232, rejecting the amendments of many opposition members. The House also approved the Muslim Waqf (Repeal) Bill, 2024 by voice vote.

These parties opposed the bill

BJP's allies in the National Democratic Alliance - JD(U), Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), Janasena and Janata Dal (Secular) - supported the Wakf (Amendment) Bill. BJP's ally in Jharkhand, AJSU, also supported the bill.

Congress, Samajwadi Party, Trinamool Congress, DMK and other opposition parties strongly opposed the bill, calling it unconstitutional and a move to usurp the land of Muslims.