NEW DELHI: The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) has become the sole Opposition party to not boycott the ongoing proceedings of the joint Parliamentary committee on the Waqf Bill, even as 13 other Opposition MPs, have repeatedly protested against the alleged arbitrary conduct of the panel head Jagdambika Pal or have walked out from meetings, citing violation of norms.
YSRCP Rajya Sabha V Vijayasai Reddy, who is the lone representative of his party in the panel, told The Tribune that even as his party is opposed to the legislation, they are not in favour of boycotting the proceedings of the committee. “Our party does not favour the Waqf Amendment Bill, however, we don’t boycott the proceedings as we believe that any opposition to the legislation can be shown by expressing our views against it by attending the meetings,” Reddy told this newspaper.
On being asked whether what will be YSRCP’s stand at the time of the finalisation of the committee’s report on the Bill, Reddy said the party would send a dissent note on it.
When asked whether his party also supported the Opposition MPs’ decision to not attend the ongoing tour of the panel to West Bengal, Assam, Odisha, Bihar and UP, he said he could not go with the committee members due to some personal commitments.
However, Reddy said he had attended all the discussions and meetings during the panel’s visit to the southern states 45 days ago.
Except the YSRCP, 13 Opposition MPs had announced their boycott of the panel’s tour to various states between November 9 and 14. The remaining 17 members of the 31-member panel belong to the ruling BJP and its allies.
On November 5, a delegation of opposition members of the panel, led by Congress’ Mohammad Jawed had urged Speaker Om Birla to extend the deadline of submission of the panel’s report on the Bill.
It had also complained to him regarding Pal’s conduct, especially regarding the frequent meetings being called of the panel by him, and also brought to his notice the need for conducting study tours to so many states. They had urged him to defer the ongoing tour of the panel.