Despite being an NDA ally, we abstained: PMK on Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025

The PMK, on Friday, rejected criticism against PMK president and Rajya Sabha M.P. Anbumani Ramadoss’s decision to abstain from voting on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in the Rajya Sabha by arguing that no other party in India has consistently supported the welfare and rights of Muslims as much as the PMK.

PMK spokesperson K. Balu said that the DMK and other INDIA bloc parties are misleading the people by claiming that PMK’s decision to abstain helped in passing of the bill in the parliament.

“Despite being in the NDA alliance, we have not voted in favour of the bill. Is it not significant that we didn’t support a bill despite being in the NDA? We have shown our protest (by abstaining). PMK’s official position is that we do not support the Waqf amendment bill. We didn’t vote in favour of it,” clarified Mr. Balu.

He further recalled that PMK founder Dr. S. Ramadoss was perhaps one of the first leaders to urge the State government to approach the courts against the Waqf Amendment Bill.

The Parliament on Friday (April 4, 2025) cleared the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2025, in Rajya Sabha with 128 members voting in favour of the bill and 95 against it. While the BJP government has said that the law only seeks to bring transparency in the administration of Waqf properties, the Opposition has severely criticised it for bring against the interests of the Muslim community.

Published - April 05, 2025 12:01 am IST