🎭 Political Theatre | Waqf Bill gets Parliament stamp after fierce debate; Manipur gets a midnight brush-off

Greetings readers,

The political arena this week was lit up with several developments: From late-night Parliamentary sessions to the political endorsements keeping everyone on their toes.

In this edition, we are covering everything from the controversial President's rule in Manipur, Telangana's land row, and a clash between Mamata Banerjee and the Supreme Court, to rising diesel prices in Karnataka and the latest political twists surrounding Elon Musk and Donald Trump.

So buckle up as we take you on a political tour around the world in this week’s DH Political Theatre.

Waqf Bill gets Parliament stamp

After more than 24 hours of fiery, marathon debates, the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025 was approved in the early hours of Friday. The bill passed in the Rajya Sabha with 128 votes in favour and 95 against, while the Lok Sabha voted in favour with a 288-232 margin.

The debates in both houses stretched well past midnight, with heated exchanges between the Treasury benches and a united opposition. Claims, counterclaims, and non-stop interjections turned Parliament into a battleground of words. But—plot twist—there was a rare moment of calm as both sides engaged in a full-on debate without any major walkouts.

The opposition was vocal in accusing the Centre of introducing a law that goes against secular and democratic values. Meanwhile, the government defended the bill, stating that its focus was purely on the management of Waqf properties and would not interfere with religious matters.

Though usually, ministers offer clarifications on such matters, Union Home Minister Amit Shah took it upon himself to address the opposition’s concerns, even though Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju introduced the bill. In a 47-hour-long speech in the Lok Sabha, Shah broke down the bill, asserting that some were using minorities to create "vote banks" and spreading fear across the country.

In his reply, Rijiju boldly declared that India is safer for minorities than any other country, despite opposition claims that the bill would harm religious freedom. In the Rajya Sabha, he promised there would be no interference with religious institutions post-passage.

However, opposition members were not backing down. Several claimed the bill violated key constitutional rights, including Articles 14 (equality before the law), 25 (freedom of conscience and religion), and 26 (freedom to manage religious affairs). Rahul Gandhi took it a step further, labeling the bill as a weapon aimed at marginalising Muslims and seizing their property rights.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge echoed similar concerns, warning that the legislation would sow seeds of discrimination and disrupt peace and harmony in the country.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi staged a symbolic protest against Bill, in the Lok Sabha by tearing a copy of the legislation. Criticising the Bill, he said it is going to curb the rights of Muslims.

As expected, the drama didn’t end there. Tamil Nadu’s ruling DMK announced plans to challenge the bill in the Supreme Court. Chief Minister M K Stalin argued that the passage of the bill, despite opposition from most parties, was an attack on the Constitution.

In an interesting twist, BJD and YSRCP, initially opposed to the bill, reversed their stance. BJD withdrew its whip, allowing MPs to vote according to their "conscience", while YSRCP clarified it had never issued a whip on the matter.

On Friday, PM Modi hailed the passage of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in Parliament as a "watershed moment" in the country's collective quest for socio-economic justice, transparency and inclusive growth.

Meanwhile, Lok Sabha has made history by having over 200 MPs participate in a nearly five-hour-long Zero Hour, raising issues of public importance. Talk about a record-breaking session!

Manipur at 2 AM: Stroke Steal of midnight

Talk about a late-night session, another peculiar took place this week as the political drama around Manipur continues to simmer.

While the nation was deep in slumber, the Lok Sabha turned into the stage for a dramatic midnight hurried session on Thursday. At 2 AM, in a move that left the opposition stunned, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju requested the Speaker to discuss the statutory resolution approving President’s Rule in strife-torn Manipur.

The discussion which lasted about only 40 minutes saw hurried speeches by MPs.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah defended the move, claiming the government had done everything possible to restore peace in the northeastern state. He pointed out that there had been no violence in Manipur for the past four months, and discussions were underway with both the Meitei and Kuki communities for a peaceful resolution.

But the opposition was not pleased. Congress accused the government of "bulldozing" the resolution through the Lok Sabha at the ungodly hour of 2 AM.

"Why bulldoze the proclamation on President's Rule in the state at 2AM in the Lok Sabha, leaving just enough time for the Home Minister’s falsehoods and distortions?" questioned Congress' Jairam Ramesh. Ouch!

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said his party supported the resolution but wanted the restoration of peace and stability in the state.

DMK's K Kanimozhi, on the other hand, called for an end to the "divisive" politics in Manipur.

By Friday, the Rajya Sabha adopted the statutory resolution with support from members across party lines, although the opposition continued to slam the Centre for the ongoing crisis in the state.

Trump tariff tension hits Parliament

As the world scrambles to make sense of Trump's historic tariffs, the issue found its way to Parliament this week, where Congress MPs and some opposition leaders took to the streets, protesting outside Parliament House and demanding answers from the government.

Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi didn't hold back in Lok Sabha, warning that Trump’s import duties would "completely devastate" the Indian economy.

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge also took a swing at PM Modi, claiming the country had been "trapped" by "businessman" Trump, despite all those warm, fuzzy photo ops between PM Modi and the US president.

Congress MP Manish Tewari had some strong words for the government, urging them to grow a "spine" and take a stand against the US.

On the flip side, the government's response was cool and collected, saying they are "carefully examining" the implications of Trump’s tariffs. The commerce ministry promised to engage with all stakeholders, including Indian industries and exporters, to get their feedback and assess the situation with an eye on India's goal of becoming a developed nation.

Land row hits Telangana's political nerve

Meanwhile, Telangana found itself in the eye of a political storm this week.

The state government, led by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, came under fire for auctioning 400 acres of disputed land in Kancha Gachibowli, located near the University of Hyderabad. The land, already surrounded by controversy, saw fierce opposition from students, environmentalists, and political parties alike.

The Supreme Court intervened, ordering Telangana’s Chief Secretary to halt all activities on the land immediately. On the other hand, the Telangana High Court stopped all tree-felling activities in the area until April 7.

BRS Working President K T Rama Rao offered to turn the land into an eco-park if the party returned to power, while the Congress government maintained that the land belonged to the state, and students were being misled by political interests and real estate groups.

Mamata vs Supreme Court: Political storm erupts in West Bengal 

West Bengal's Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee faced a blow this week as the Supreme Court invalidated the appointments of over 25,000 teachers and staff in state-run schools.

The ruling triggered political uproar, with the BJP demanding Banerjee’s resignation. Mamata, however, accused the BJP and CPM of conspiring to disrupt the state’s education system.

While Mamata dismissed the ruling as politically motivated, both the BJP and CPM hailed the verdict as proof of widespread corruption in the Bengal government.

Looks like the political battle is heating up in Bengal as the state heads to polls next year.

Fuel on fire in Karnataka & a political march that promises to stir things up

In Karnataka, the government's decision to hike the Karnataka Sales Tax (KST) on diesel by Rs 2 per litre, pushing the price to Rs 91.02, sent shockwaves through the state.

This was the second diesel price hike in under a year, and it's hitting the common man hard.

The BJP wasted no time in launching a campaign against the rising cost of living in Bengaluru, accusing the Congress of making life harder for the people.

BJP leader B Y Vijayendra also took aim at the Congress for failing to deliver on promises made during the election campaign. The BJP also announced the launch of its 'Janaakrosha Yatra' on April 7, starting from none other than Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s home district, Mysuru.

Even the BJP's ally, JD(S), criticised the government, although they stayed away from the protests organised by BJP workers in Bengaluru.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka government’s judicial inquiry into allegations of corruption during the previous BJP administration concluded there was no solid evidence to back claims of a 40 per cent commission. So much for the drama which contributed heavily to the BJP's defeat two years ago.

Elon Musk to step down from DOGE role?

In a surprise move, Donald Trump has reportedly confirmed that his aide, Elon Musk, will be stepping down from his government role at DOGE, a position that's been marked by the firing of thousands of federal workers over the past three months.

Musk’s anticipated retreat from the position comes amid growing frustration from both Trump administration insiders and external allies who are becoming increasingly wary of the billionaire's erratic behavior and viewing him more as a political liability than an asset.

But just when you thought the drama was over, Trump turned around and threw Musk a fresh endorsement, saying that Musk could stay "as long as he likes" and would eventually return to his businesses.

When pressed on how long Musk would remain in the role, Trump responded, “I would think a few months.” So, it seems like the billionaire’s government tenure may have an expiration date after all, but for now, Musk appears to have a green light from Trump to hang around a little longer.

That is all about the political drama that unfolded this week. DH Political Theatre will come back again next week with more political advancements from around the globe.

Exit Stage Left,

DH Newsletters Team