New Delhi, 1 April

Sparks are set to fly in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday as it takes up for consideration and passage the Waqf amendment bill which has met with a strong resistance from the opposition parties.

After eight hours of proposed discussion, Minorities Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju will respond to the debate and seek the approval of the House for its passage.

The issue came for discussion at the meeting of the business advisory committee (BAC) chaired by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, sources said.

While introducing the bill last year, the government had proposed referring it to a joint committee of the two Houses.

After the report was submitted by the panel, the Union Cabinet had approved certain changes to the original bill based on the committee's recommendation.

At the BAC meet, while the opposition sought 12 hours for discussion, government insisted on lesser time so that other legislative business could also be taken up.

This led to heated exchange in the meeting between the government and opposition side, leading to a walk out by the opposition.

Later, talking to reporters Rijiju said some parties wanted four to six hours while the opposition insisted on 12 hours.

The Speaker decided for eight hours for debate, extendable after taking sense of the House, he said and wondered why the opposition walked out of the BAC meet.

He said immediately after the Question Hour which concludes at 12 noon, he will move the bill for consideration and passage.

Hitting out at the opposition, he claimed that some parties are trying to create some excuses to run away from the discussion.

Congress deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi said the opposition stormed out of BAC meet as the government was bulldozing its agenda and demands for discussions on voter card-Aadhaar seeding were not accepted.

"There is no space for the opposition," he alleged.

Rijiju said the Rajya Sabha will be communicated about the passage of the bill by the lower house for it to take a call.

Opposition parties are strongly opposed to the bill, slamming it as unconstitutional and against the interest of the Muslim community. Several leading Muslim organisations have been rallying support against the bill.

The bill seeks to improve the management and administration of Waqf properties in India.

The session concludes on 4 April.