Waqf Bill referred to joint parliamentary panel – Statetimes

STATE TIMES NEWS

New Delhi: The Waqf (Amendment) Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Thursday and referred to a joint parliamentary panel after a heated debate. The government said the proposed law was not intended to disrupt the functioning of mosques, while the Opposition termed the bill an attack on Muslims and as such attacked the Constitution.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said he will hold talks with leaders of all parties over the composition of the joint parliamentary committee.
Shortly after Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju sought permission to introduce the bill, opposition members from the INDIA bloc protested strongly against the introduction of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, terming it an “attack” on the Constitution and targeting Muslims.
Congress MP KC Venugopal, who had objected to its introduction, accused the government of violating the right to freedom of religion and alleged that the legislation was being brought in view of the upcoming state assembly elections.
“This is a draconian law and a fundamental attack on the Constitution,” Venugopal said. He said people had taught the BJP a lesson – in the Lok Sabha elections – for its divisive politics but it is continuing with it, keeping in mind the upcoming elections in states like Maharashtra. “It is a direct attack on freedom of religion… Then you go for Christians, then for Jains,” he said.
Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav said the bill was brought to appease the BJP’s hardcore supporters. “What is the use of including non-Muslims in Waqf boards when it is not done in other religious bodies?” Yadav asked.
“The truth is that the BJP has brought this bill to satisfy its die-hard supporters,” the Kannauj MP said, adding that the bill has been brought with politics in mind.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)-Sharadchandra Pawar MP Supriya Sule said her party opposed the bill as it was against a particular minority community. “Look at what is happening in Bangladesh, there is so much pain. It is the moral duty of a country to protect minorities,” she said.
“The government must clarify the intention and timing of the bill. We are objecting, withdrawing this bill. Let us discuss it and then bring forward a bill that is fair and just,” she demanded.
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen Chairman Asaduddin Owaisi alleged that the House had no authority to bring the amendments. “It is a serious attack on the basic structure of the Constitution as it violates the principle of judicial independence and separation of powers,” he said.
“You are enemies of Muslims and this bill is proof of that,” Owaisi said.
Rijiju vigorously defended the bill and slammed the Congress, saying the Wakf Act of 1995 was not serving its purpose and the amendments were necessary as the Congress could not carry out the reforms it was supposed to bring.
“Because you couldn’t do it, we had to bring these amendments… Some people have hijacked Waqf boards and this bill has been brought to give justice to ordinary Muslims,” he said. He alleged that many leaders in the opposition had secretly told him that the state Waqf boards had become a mafia.
“I will not mention their names or destroy their political careers,” Rijiju said.
He said that in the earlier Act there was no provision to challenge or review the order or judgment of the tribunal. Now provision has been made to challenge judgments in higher courts, the minister said.
“In our country, no law can be a super law and it cannot be above the Constitution. However, in the Wakf Act of 1995, there are provisions which are above the provisions in the Constitution. Shouldn’t that be changed?” he asked.
“We will now correct the mistakes you have made,” Rijiju said, attacking the Congress.
He stated that the government had held extensive consultations at all levels and also cited instances such as an entire village in Tamil Nadu being declared as Waqf land to highlight the need for law reforms.
The opposition should not look at such issues through the lens of religion, he said, accusing the opposition of misleading Muslims.
The Surat Municipality headquarters has also been declared a Waqf property, he said, asking how this was possible.
He assured that the income of the Waqf board will be used only for the welfare of the Muslim community. “It is my good fortune that I, as a non-Muslim, am getting the opportunity to introduce a bill for the welfare of Muslims,” ​​he said.
Rijiju also introduced a Bill to repeal the Mussalman Wakf Act, 1923. The statement of objects and reasons stated that the colonial-era legislation was outdated and no longer adequate for effective management of waqf properties in modern India.
NDA allies JD(U), TDP, Shiv Sena and LJP supported the bill to amend the 1995 Act. They said the bill was aimed at bringing transparency in the functioning of Waqf boards and was not intended to disrupt the running of mosques.