Waqf bill and Vinesh Phogat ruled India's political narrative this week; Jaya-Dhankhar faced off in Rajya Sabha

Hello dear readers!

As the nation celebrates Neeraj Chopra’s Silver medal at the Olympics, the political pot too, throughout the week, has been simmering with a lot of action.

It has been raining high-voltage drama, with episodes of blame-game, debates and war of words in the ongoing monsoon session at the Parliament.

International affairs and sports have also taken somewhat of a center stage amid national politics. With turmoil in Bangladesh over Sheikh Hasina’s resignation and wrestler Vinesh Phogat being disqualified from Olympics 2024, splashes of international affairs and athletics got added to the already heady brew called Indian politics.

Some other major political drama revolved around the Waqf Bill, eventually leading the government to refer it to a joint parliamentary committee.

So, brace yourselves as we dive into all that happened in Indian politics over the course of the past week.

Govt topples in neighboring country, India to the rescue?

The crisis in our neighboring country, Bangladesh, leading to Sheikh Hasina’s sudden resignation and fleeing to India has paved a way into major political discussions. Sheikh Hasina taking refuge in India has sparked many arguments on what would be the country's role in tackling the situation.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, in a recent press briefing, failed to comment on Hasina’s plans on leaving the country, however time and again mentioning that the interests of the people of Bangladesh are of the utmost priority. 

He also added that India is constantly in touch with Bangladesh authorities in order to ensure safety and security of Indian missions, the personnel working there and Indians residing in that country.

Meanwhile, Home Minister Amit Shah announced that the Modi government in the Centre has formed a committee to monitor the current situation along the Indo-Bangladesh Border (IBB).

In yet another development all the way from Northeast, the North East Students' Organisation (NESO) has urged Home Minister Amit Shah not to provide asylum to a single Bangladeshi in the region, stating the reason as "illegal migration" since 1947 from from the neighbouring country into Northeastern region has already reduced some indigenous communities into minorities.

On the other hand, over the alleged attacks on Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that the Centre will address the issue through diplomatic efforts.

As of now, the chaos in Bangladesh seems to have subsided with Muhammad Yunus taking oath as the chief advisor of the interim government in Dhaka on Thursday.

Extending good wishes to Yunus, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “We hope for an early return to normalcy,” conveying India’s concerns over reports of attacks on minority communities across Bangladesh. He stressed on “ensuring the safety and protection of Hindus and all other minority communities” in Bangladesh. “India remains committed to working with Bangladesh to fulfill the shared aspirations of both our peoples for peace, security, and development.”

Heated politics over Waqf (Amendment) Bill

In the latest of developments straight from the Parliament, the govt and the opposition seem to be not on the same page over the Waqf amendment bill, which aims to to curb the "unfettered" powers of waqf boards.

The opposition called the bill ‘draconian’ and strongly opposed the same, which was tabled in the Lok Sabha on Thursday. Several I.N.D.I.A. bloc MPs also called it an attack on the Constitution and aimed at targeting Muslims, thus urging the government to withdraw the bill.

Taking a strong jibe at the BJP, Samajwadi chief Akhilesh Yadav asserted that the Waqf (Amendment) Bill is just an excuse to sell land in the interest of BJP members, and claimed that the saffron party was working like a real estate company. The SP leader also said that the BJP should rename itself to the "Bharatiya Zameen Party".

On the other hand, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav claimed that the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, was a "well-planned conspiracy" by the BJP-led NDA government to polarise people.

Voicing disagreement to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, prominent Muslim bodies too urged the government to withdraw the proposed amendments and engage in a detailed consultation with all stakeholders, including religious leaders.

Owing to several objections to the bill, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju proposed sending it to a Joint Parliamentary Committee for further consultations. The joint committee is said to have 31 members -- 21 from the Lok Sabha and 10 from the Rajya Sabha -- and will submit its report by the next Parliament session.

Amid all the chaos surrounding the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, another development comes in wherein the government on Thursday withdrew the Waqf Properties (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Bill 2014 in Rajya Sabha, which sought to provide for a mechanism for the eviction of unauthorised occupants from waqf properties.

Few episodes of protests in Parliament premises

What is politics without protests, and to keep up with the same, apart from the much talked about bills and amendments, the Parliament also witnessed a couple of protests staged by the Opposition.

A protest by the Opposition leaders was held on the Parliament premises on Thursday, demanding an MSP for farmers' produce. The protesting MPs wore a garland of vegetables and raised slogans like: "Kisan ko phasal pe MSP do" and "Kisan pe anyay bandh karo".

The Parliament premises witnessed another protest wherein the MPs from I.N.D.I.A. bloc parties carried placards reading 'Tax terrorism', raised slogans demanding that the GST on life and health insurance premiums be rolled back.

War-of-words in the Parliament

Demanding justice for wrestler Vinesh Phogat, who was disqualified from the Paris Olympics after being found overweight ahead of her 50kg women's freestyle wrestling final match, Opposition members in Rajya Sabha shouted slogans, and later staged a walk-out on Wednesday after permission to speak on the issue was denied.

The very next day, following heated exchanges with I.N.D.I.A bloc MPs over not allowing time to speak on the Phogat issue, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar briefly left the House.

Many political leaders commented and expressed support for Phogat. However, BJP MP Hema Malini’s comment raised many eyebrows. The Mathura representative said outside the Parliament, "It is important to keep the weight in check. It is a lesson for all of us."

Amid growing hostility between Jagdeep Dhankhar and the Opposition I.N.D.I.A. bloc, with the latter mulling the initiation of a process to impeach Dhankhar, the Parliament on Friday was adjourned a day before schedule.

The Chairman rejected all allegations by Opposition MPs about him ignoring their demands and leaning towards the government. Dhankar said, “I have my own script. I am not operated by anyone else.”

Jaya Bachchan also raised objections about Dhankhar when she said, “I am an artist. I understand body language and expressions. Forgive me but your tone is not acceptable. We are colleagues…” 

Dhankhar replying to this said, "Enough of it … you may be anybody, you may be a celebrity, you have to understand the decorum ... Never carry an impression that only you build reputations ... we live up to reputations.” Angered over these remarks, Opposition MPs, including former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, walked out of the House raising slogans.

In another set of developments, Home Minister Amit Shah recently said in the Parliament that the Centre had issued early warnings to the Pinarayi Vijayan government regarding the possibility of the Kerala landslides that claimed over 200 lives, and it was the state government which failed to timely act upon it. The Congress had earlier submitted a breach of privilege notice against the Home Minister accusing him of misleading the Rajya Sabha by his statements. Now, the CPI(M) and CPI have submitted breach of privilege notices against him on the same grounds.

Taking a strong jibe at PM Modi, Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha floor leader Derek O’Brien said the Modi government is “nervous” to discuss the working of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Ministry of Defence in Parliament as the “56 inch” was “cut down to size to size on June 4”. The leader’s remarks came after the Opposition's joint demand to choose MHA as one of the four ministries for discussion was turned down in the House.

Deep-diving into National Politics

Subramainan Swamy, a veteran BJP leader, who has for some time now been at loggerheads with PM Modi, has lashed out at him once again after Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled Bangladesh. Hitting at the PM he wrote in a post on X, "Modi was a coward when China grabbed 4067 sq kms of India’s undisputed Ladakh territory. He wobbled when Maldives Muslim leaders said to Indians to get out of the island. Now, Modi is shivering while the Muslims kicked out Bangladesh Lady PM. Don’t ask on Nepal. Ask Modi to quit."

As a relief for the Aam Aadmi Party, senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia walked out of Tihar Jail after 17 months behind bars on Friday and said he got bail due to the power of the Constitution and democracy, and this same power will ensure the release of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

AAP leader Manish Sisodia addresses supporters after his release from Tihar jail.

Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal’s  judicial custody was extended till August 20 by a Delhi court in the corruption case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the alleged excise policy scam.

Regarding Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal's assault case, the Delhi Police has told a court that they were probing a "larger conspiracy" behind the alleged "brutal attack" on Maliwal by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s aide Bibhav Kumar. The Delhi Police, in their charge sheet, said that Kumar and Kejriwal were "together" at the chief minister's official residence "for a significant period of time" after the alleged offence was committed.

Now let us take a look at the east. In West Bengal, urging people of the state to maintain peace over Bangladesh unrest, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said, "I would appeal to all citizens of West Bengal to maintain peace and avoid all forms of provocation." "Whatever decision the Centre takes on this issue, we will abide by it," she added.

She later also congratulated Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus on taking charge as the chief adviser to interim government in Bangladesh.

Another development from Bengal this week was the demise of former West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee. Buddhadeb, a Marxist veteran and one of the last few dhoti-clad quintessential 'Bhadralok' politicians, died in Kolkata on Thursday. He was 80 and is survived by his wife and son.

TMC senior leader and Prison Minister Akhil Giri on Sunday was asked by the party to resign from CM Mamata Banerjee’s cabinet of ministers after a video showing him abusing a woman forest ranger was circulated online and drew flak from opposition parties. His resignation was accepted by Governor C V Ananda Bose on Tuesday.

As Jammu and Kashmir nears its Assembly polls, suspense surrounding the timing of the elections continues. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar revealed on Friday that the exact dates would be announced only after a final security assessment is conducted in New Delhi.

Meanwhile, National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday said his party will not enter into a pre-poll alliance with any other party for the Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir.

The combined Opposition in Karnataka, BJP and JD(S), continued their padayatra (protest march), demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over the alleged Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allotment 'scam’ on Friday. The Opposition leaders are scheduled to conclude their protest march on Saturday by holding a mega rally upon reaching Mysuru.

In correlation with the Bangladesh unrest, Congress leader Salman Khurshid stoked controversy by saying that what happened in Bangladesh can happen in India. This led to a backlash from the BJP, wherein the saffron party said that the Congress was fanning “anarchist” tendencies. 

In other news, after the Supreme Court's decision on SC/ST reservation, BJP MP Professor Sikander Kumar on Friday said that 100 MPs from both Houses met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and raised their concerns. This comes after a seven-member Supreme Court Constitution Bench permitted sub-classification of the Scheduled Castes to ensure that the benefits of reservation go to the marginalised sections within the backward community.

From around the world

Coming to US politics, Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris,  and her newly selected vice presidential running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, campaigned together on Tuesday in Philadelphia, for the first time. The multi-day tour of battleground states is aimed at introducing Walz to the national stage. 

Israel has been preparing for attacks by Iran and Hezbollah. The country has been urging its people to stock up food and water in fortified safe rooms. Hospitals and search-and-rescue teams have been told to make necessary arrangements.

That's all for this week folks! We promise to be back again next week with more political drama and all other major takeaways from India and around the world.

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DH Newsletters Team