NEW DELHI: The opposition INDIA bloc has unanimously decided to participate in the debate on the Waqf Amendment Bill and seek a division of votes during the passage of the Bill. The decision was arrived at a meeting on Tuesday evening, attended by all Opposition parties.Speaking to this newspaper, CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas said that all Opposition parties will vote against the Bill and will also coordinate with parties, such as YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s YSRCP and Naveen Patnaik’s Biju Janata Dal (BJD), for support. The floor leaders of the parties will take a call on certain clauses of the Bill to be opposed during the debate. “All the parties are united in opposing this anti-constitutional bill. We are not treating this as a ‘Muslim’ issue. It undermines the secular principles, ” he said, adding that the CPM has issued whips to its members to be present in the House. CPI MP Sandosh Kumar told this paper that 36 MPs attended the meeting and all spoke in the same voice. “We are aware that the numbers are in favour of the ruling party. But we are determined to fight and will participate in the debate and place our objections. There will be no walkouts or disruptions,” he said.Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav said, “We will stand united tomorrow and participate in discussions. We will support the amendments which will come from the opposition and call for division and voting.”Echoing the view, ET Muhammed Basheer, IUML MP, said that the parties will fight tooth and nail. “INDIA alliance parties had a discussion and it went well. We have categorically decided to fight as one body and one soul. We are united by all means and we will strongly fight this because there has been a lot of injustice, and we will participate in the debate.”
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