BHUBANESWAR: The Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2025 may have passed the Rajya Sabha test, but in its wake has created deep fissures in the BJD over its sudden shift in stance from strict opposition to the Bill during discussion to exercising conscience while voting.
The discord over the regional outfit’s approach in the Upper House, where it has seven MPs, played out in the open on Friday with many senior leaders questioning the “conscience” factor and demanding to know who issued directions for the same.
While, the BJD might not have played a decisive role in passage of the Bill in Rajya Sabha, at least a couple of its votes appeared to have added to the NDA’s tally of 128. Senior party leader and national spokesperson Sasmit Patra confirmed to have voted in favour of the Bill even as Muzibulla Khan, who participated in the discussion and vehemently opposed it, voted against it.
Debasis Samantaray abstained from voting and the stand of four other MPs Manas Mangaraj, Sulata Deo, Niranjan Bisi and Subhasish Khuntia is yet to be known.
Furious over the turn of events, several senior leaders including the deputy leader of the BJD legislature party Prasanna Acharya met at the Sankha Bhawan, the BJD headquarters, here on Friday to discuss the issue. Acharya told mediapersons that the BJD parliamentary party had decided to oppose the Bill at its meeting. “The decision to oppose the Bill had the sanction of the party chief Naveen Patnaik. Party leaders now want to know who decided to allow the MPs to go for conscience vote,” he said.
Former minister and senior party MLA Badri Narayan Patra said the whole issue has created a difficult situation for the party and even alluded to some ‘deal’. “The question is why a whip was not issued when there was a decision to oppose the Bill.
Munna (Muzibulla) Khan says the party chief had twice told him that the the Bill would be opposed. Once at the meeting of the minority cell and again at the iftar party function. Everybody is surprised. Now we are looking for who changed the decision,” Patra said.
The disgruntled leaders met party chief Naveen Patnaik at Naveen Niwas in the evening and raised the issue. Acharya said Naveen asserted during discussion that there was no change in party’s ideology of secularism. Besides, the party chief also reiterated that the BJD continues to follow the policy of equidistance between the NDA and INDIA bloc, and there has been no change in the approach.
Meanwhile, coming out of the Upper House early on Friday, Patra said, the party had decided that the MPs were to vote as per their conscience and left the decision on them. “I have not discussed with the other MPs so far. As far as I am concerned, I have supported the Bill. About other MPs, what they have done whether abstained, walked out, supported or opposed, I cannot say,” he explained.
Samantaray said that he did not vote after the party changed its stand. “I did not like the decision. So, I did not vote,” he said.
Party MLA Ganeswar Behera termed Patra’s decision wrong while former minister Prafulla Samal has demanded action against him. Another former minister Sashibhusan Behera echoed the sentiments and said, it has created confusion in the party and does not augur well for the future.
In a post on X, Patra had said, "The Biju Janata Dal has always upheld the principles of secularism and inclusivity, ensuring the rights of all communities. We deeply respect the diverse sentiments expressed by different sections of the Minority communities regarding the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024."
"Our Party, having taken these views into careful consideration, has entrusted our Hon'ble Members in the Rajya Sabha with the responsibility of exercising their conscience in the best interest of justice, harmony and the rights of all communities, should the Bill come up for voting. There is no Party Whip," the post read.
