Congress only wants to 'complicate' matters: Union Minister SP Singh Baghel

New Delhi [India], April 4 (ANI): Union Minister SP Singh Baghel on Friday took a jibe at Congress for opposing the Waqf Bill and said that the Opposition party only wants to complicate matters and does not want the benefits to reach the public.
Speaking to ANI, the Union Minister said, "Whenever the BJP or NDA brings a good bill, like abolishing Article 370 or 35A, the Congress party works to complicate it and keep it in court so that its benefits don't reach the public."
Meanwhile, the budget session of the Parliament, which commenced on January 31, officially came to a close with both the Houses being adjourned sine dine today.
Both houses will now reconvene during the Monsoon session of Parliament; however, the dates have not been announced yet.
Rajya Sabha Chairman Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, during his valedictory remark in the 267th session of the upper house, extended his gratitude towards the members of the house for their "active participation and valuable contribution".
"Hon'ble Members, we have come to the conclusion of a very productive 267th session of the Sabha. As we conclude the sitting of the session, I extend my gratitude to each one of you for your active participation and valuable contribution," Dhankhar said.
He noted that the house functioned for 159 hours during the session, bringing its productivity to 119 percent.
He stated that the House had its longest-ever sitting on Thursday, April 3, starting at 11 am on April 3 and continuing until 4:02 am on April 4. He further stated that a record 49 private members' bills were also introduced in the upper house.
"Overall, House functioned for a total of 159 hours, including more than 4 hours after midnight. The productivity of this session stood at 119 per cent. On 03.04.25, RajyaSabha began its proceedings & held its longest-ever sitting from 11 AM to 4:02 AM the next day, marking a historic milestone," the Rajya Sabha Chairman said.
"Record 49 private member's bills were introduced in the Upper House. Rajya Sabha Chairman thanks everyone and appreciates the efforts taken by members and staff alike," he added.
Meanwhile, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said the lower house of Parliament underwent 26 sittings from the commencement of the Session on January 31."We are at the end of the fourth session of the 18th Lok Sabha. This session started on January 31, 2025. In this session, we had 26 sittings, and the total number was about 118 per cent," Birla said while addressing the lower house during his closing remarks.
During the session, 10 government bills were introduced, and 16 bills, including the Waqf Amendment Bill and the Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill, were passed.
One of the standout points of this session was the passing of the Waqf Amendment Bill of 2025.The Parliament passed the bill in the early hours of Friday after a marathon and heated debate.
Dhankhar said, "Ayes 128 and Noes 95, Absent zero. The Bill is passed." The House sat beyond midnight to pass the legislation.
The Lok Sabha, which discussed the Waqf (Amendment) Bill on Wednesday, passed it past midnight after a marathon debate.
The government introduced the revised bill after incorporating the recommendations of the Joint Parliamentary Committee, which examined the legislation introduced in August last year. The bill seeks to amend the Act of 1995 and improve the administration and management of waqf properties in India.
The Bill aims to overcome the shortcomings of the previous act and enhance the efficiency of Waqf boards, improving the registration process and increasing the role of technology in managing Waqf records. (ANI)