BJP Attacks Priyanka Gandhi Over Absence From Waqf Debate In Parliament: ‘What Face Will She Show?’
Last Updated:
Priyanka Gandhi’s absence from Lok Sabha during the Waqf debate was criticised, while Rahul Gandhi arrived late, did not speak on the issue, and was seen dozing off during the session.
Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi came under criticism after the Waqf Act was passed. (PTI File Image)
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) attacked Congress MP from Wayanad, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, for being absent in the Lok Sabha during the voting for the Waqf (Amendment) Act. The BJP said both Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi failed to represent Wayanad, a Muslim-majority constituency, in the Parliament.
The Waqf Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha with 288-232 votes following an over 12-hour-long discussion in the House that went passed Wednesday midnight. Priyanka Gandhi was absent from the proceedings, but Rahul Gandhi entered the House just before the voting, did not speak on the matter, and was seen seemingly dozing off during the session that was adjourned after 2 am on April 3.
The Wayanad MP’s absence prompted an editorial tirade in Suprabhatham, the mouthpiece of the prominent Muslim organisation Samastha Kerala Jemiyyathul Ulama. “Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi, whom the country looks up to with great expectations, did not come to Parliament despite the party whip. That will remain as a blot,” it read.
Taking to X, BJP’s IT department in-charge Amit Malviya said, “Priyanka Vadra, who is a Member of Parliament from Wayanad—a Muslim-majority Lok Sabha seat in Kerala—was absent during the voting on the Waqf Amendments. What face will she show her constituents when she seeks their votes again?The seat had earlier elected Rahul Gandhi, who also did not speak on the Bill.”
Priyanka Vadra, who is a Member of Parliament from Wayanad—a Muslim-majority Lok Sabha seat in Kerala—was absent during the voting on the Waqf Amendments. What face will she show her constituents when she seeks their votes again? The seat had earlier elected Rahul Gandhi, who…— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) April 6, 2025
Malviya also highlighted that Benny Peruvanthanam, a Christian leader and the general secretary of the Idukki District Congress Committee, quit the party on Friday, accusing it of neglecting the Christian minority and taking a pro-Muslim stance on the Waqf row. The BJP leader further said Congress had let down both Muslims and Christians while claiming to be the champion of minorities, and treating Hindus as second-class citizens.
In an earlier post, Malviya wrote, “Let this be recorded for posterity: when it mattered, the Gandhis and the Congress abandoned the Muslims, people they claim to represent.”
The Muslim community must wake up to the reality that, for the Congress and the Gandhi family, they are nothing more than convenience. Despite a Congress whip, Priyanka Vadra was missing from Parliament on the day the Waqf Amendments were tabled in the Lok Sabha. And Rahul… pic.twitter.com/FG1qOgrRyr— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) April 5, 2025
BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain also criticised the Gandhis. “No one is serious. Rahul Gandhi was sleeping in the Parliament and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra did not come to the Parliament. When Priyanka Gandhi did not come to vote, you can understand how serious the Congress party is. These people only consider the Muslim community as their vote bank,” he told news agency ANI.
The Waqf (Amendment) Act, which seeks to alter the functioning of the Waqf board and properties, was passed in the Parliament after two marathon debates. It received the presidential approval late yesterday, which means it will officially become a law.
When the bill was cleared by the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi said, “The Waqf (Amendment) Bill is a weapon aimed at marginalising Muslims and usurping their personal laws and property rights. This attack on the Constitution by the RSS, BJP and their allies is aimed at Muslims today but sets a precedent to target other communities in the future.”
