• durgesh dubey
• 08 Aug, 2024

Waqf

Amid calls from the opposition to refer the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 to a joint committee, the government today introduced the bill in the Lok Sabha on Thursday. The bill proposes significant changes aimed at limiting the powers of Waqf Boards to declare properties as ‘Waqf’.

Kiren Rijiju Responds to Opposition Criticism: Minister of Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju has accused the opposition of misleading Muslims regarding the bill. He claimed that many Muslim delegations and MPs have expressed concerns about mafia influence over Waqf boards. Rijiju stated that while some MPs personally support the bill, they are restrained by their political parties. He emphasized that extensive consultations were held across the country regarding the bill. Rijiju defended the bill, asserting that it does not interfere with the freedom of any religious body. He argued that the bill aims to grant rights to those who have been denied them.

Akhilesh Yadav’s Opposition: Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav criticized the bill in the Lok Sabha, suggesting that it was introduced as part of a calculated political strategy. He expressed concerns that the bill might infringe on the rights of various stakeholders and vowed to oppose it.

Congress’s Objection: Congress disrupted the Lok Sabha proceedings as Kiren Rijiju introduced the bill to amend the Waqf Act of 1995 and repeal the Mussalman Wakf Act of 1923. Congress leader KC Venugopal criticized the amendment as unconstitutional and harmful to Muslim faith, alleging that it allows non-Muslims to join Waqf Boards and is aimed at political gains in Haryana and Maharashtra. Venugopal condemned the bill as an attack on federalism and religious freedom, arguing that it is part of a broader agenda to divide the country.