The Waqf Amendment Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha. While the opposition is opposing the bill, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said that the opposition is opposing the bill for politics. This bill has been brought to give rights to those who never had these rights.
Wakf Amendment Bill 2024 introduced in Lok Sabha
The central government on Thursday introduced the Waqf Amendment Bill, 2024 in the Lok Sabha. When the opposition opposed the bill, the government responded by saying how beneficial this bill is for Muslims. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju enumerated the benefits of the bill one by one in the House. He said that this bill will not interfere with the freedom of any religious organization… forget about taking away anyone's rights, this bill has been brought to give them. This bill has been brought to give rights to those who never had these rights. The Union Minister also made it clear that the entire income of the Waqf will be spent on Muslims only.
Union Minister Rijiju further said that this bill is based on the Sachar Committee report (which talked about reforms), which was prepared by you (Congress). The Union Minister said that the opposition is misleading Muslims… Till last night, Muslim delegations came to me… Many MPs told me that the Waqf Board has been taken over by the mafia. Some MPs have said that they personally support the bill but cannot say so because of their political parties… We have held a multi-level nationwide discussion on the bill.
'Opposition is protesting for politics'
Kiren Rijiju said that the Wakf Act 1995 has not been successful in achieving its objective, we want to tell the Congress that these amendments are being brought to complete the work that you could not do. A joint parliamentary committee has recommended re-examining the Wakf Act 1995, which the opposition is opposing for political reasons.
Kiren Rijiju further said that the opposition is trying to create confusion about the intention of the Wakf Amendment Bill. No law can be above the Constitution but there are some such provisions in the Wakf Act of 1995.
'The bill is not anti-Muslim'
At the same time, the Janata Dal, which is part of the government, said that the Waqf Amendment Bill is not anti-Muslim and it has been brought only to bring transparency in the functioning of Waqf institutions. JDU leader and Union Minister Lallan Singh said in the Lok Sabha, “From the words of many (opposition) members, it seems that this bill is anti-Muslim.” How anti-Muslim is it? He said that the opposition members have talked about the temple, but there is a difference between the temple and the institution. Lallan Singh said that mosques are being tampered with. The JDU MP said that this amendment is being brought to make the Waqf institution transparent.