Ideology, alliance stand apart as AIADMK says no to Waqf Bill in RS

CHENNAI: AIADMK on Friday voted against the BJP-led Centre’s Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 in the Rajya Sabha, registering the party’s stand against the Bill. Party senior leader M Thambidurai stated that AIADMK is “committed to minorities’ welfare.

He urged the BJP-led Union government to consider the AIADMK's plea in connection with the Bill. Four AIADMK votes were among the 95 votes against the Bill, which was cleared in the Upper House with 128 members voting in its favour.

“The AIADMK is committed to the welfare of minorities. In India, particularly in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, there is a large population of Muslims and Muslim leaders. The AIADMK is keen to ensure that the interests of minorities are protected and safeguarded. Therefore, I request the present government to consider the plea of the AIADMK,” he said, adding that former Chief Ministers MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa, as well as the current party general secretary, Edappadi K Palaniswami, had launched several welfare schemes for minorities.

“Our general secretary made it clear that we should stand by the minorities. So, I and three other party MPs (C Ve Shanmugam, N Chandrasegharan, and R Dharmar) voted against the Bill in RS,” Thambidurai told DT Next. He continued that their party leader, Palaniswami, never mixed alliance and party ideology. “The DMK members expected that we would stay away from the proceedings, and they were disappointed when we voted against the Bill,” he added.

Thambidurai further said that while PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss abstained from voting on the crucial bill, GK Vasan of TMC supported the BJP-led Centre and voted in support of it.