Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Friday chided Rajya Sabha MP Sonia Gandhi for saying the Waqf (Amendment) Bill had been "bulldozed through" the Lower House, as BJP members stalled proceedings on the last day of the budget session and demanded an apology from her.

Birla, who did not name Sonia, said the comment was "extremely unfortunate" considering the nearly 14-hour discussion in the House on the bill, and ran counter to "the dignity of parliamentary democracy".

The development coincided with Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcoming the bill's passage in both Houses as a "watershed moment" for "socio-economic justice, transparency and inclusive growth".

Sonia's comment on the bill, which the Opposition believes is discriminatory against Muslim religious practices, came during her address at the Congress parliamentary party meeting on Thursday.

"Yesterday, the Waqf (Amendment) Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha…. The bill was, in effect, bulldozed through," she said, describing the amendment as a "brazen assault on the Constitution itself".

On Friday, the BJP latched on to Sonia’s remark, although it was in line with what most Opposition members had said in the Lok Sabha — that the government had rushed the bill, denying them time to study and propose amendments.

The bill restricts the state waqf boards' powers to declare properties as waqf — dedicated to religious or charitable purposes — and enables the government to monitor the management of such properties.

The Treasury benches stood up and chanted "Sonia Gandhi maafi mango" as soon as the Lok Sabha assembled on Friday morning.

Opposition members too were in the Well of the House, demanding a discussion on the tariffs imposed by "Modi’s friend Trump". The House was adjourned within minutes.

When the House reassembled at noon, parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju raised the subject of Sonia’s remarks without naming her. He said the marathon discussions on the bill in both Houses, stretching well past midnight, were a new record.

"Many MPs had come to me and told me that despite their hard work, a member of the other House has alleged that without any discussion the bill was bulldozed and passed," Rijiju said amid Opposition protests.

"After working so hard to hold discussions till late night in accordance with rules and procedure, instead of appreciation it's being said that the bill was bulldozed."

Rijiju then urged the Speaker to give an "appropriate ruling or order" on the matter. Birla responded promptly, while the Opposition members’ demand to be allowed to speak on the minister’s statement was denied.

The BJP’s targeting of Sonia came as Modi, who is visiting Thailand and Sri Lanka, posted a message on X lauding the bill's passage.

“The passage of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill… by both Houses of Parliament marks a watershed moment in our collective quest for socio-economic justice, transparency and inclusive growth,” Modi said.