India: Kiren Rijiju moves Waqf Amendment Bill in Lok Sabha

Union Minister of Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Thursday (Aug 8) moved the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 in the Lok Sabha. The Congress opposed the Bill, saying it was against the Constitution.

The bill proposes amendments to the Waqf Act, 1995, aiming to "effectively" address issues concerning the powers of State Waqf Boards, the Central Waqf Council, the registration and survey of Waqf properties, and the removal of encroachments.

Attack on Religious Freedom

The opposition parties in the INDIA bloc, including the Congress, Samajwadi Party (SP), DMK and NCP (SCP), opposed the bill.

Supriya Sule of the NCP (SCP) requested Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to either withdraw the bill or send it for scrutiny to a House committee.

"We are Hindus, but we also respect the faiths of other religions. This bill is specifically aimed at the Maharashtra and Haryana elections. You don't realise that the people of India taught you a lesson last time. This is an attack on the federal system," said Congress MP KC Venugopal in the Lower House.

Rajiv Ranjan of the Janata Dal (United) replied to Venugopal's remarks by stating that the bill aims to introduce transparency in Waqf Board management and does not target any specific religion.

“How is it against Muslims? This law is being made to bring transparency...The opposition is comparing it with temples, they are diverting from the main issue. KC Venugopal (Congress) should explain how thousands of Sikhs were killed…which taxi driver killed Indira Gandhi? Now, they are talking about minorities,” Lallan Singh said.

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav slammed the Waqf Bill and said, “I have heard in the lobby that this government is snatching your rights also. We will fight for you.”

Responding to this, Union Home Minister Amit Shah hit out saying, “Speaker's rights are not just yours but of the entire house. You are not any Rights Custodian.”

While, AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi said, “This bill violates the principles of Articles 14, 15 and 25 of the Constitution. This bill is both discriminatory and arbitrary...By bringing this bill, you (the Central govt) are doing the work of dividing the nation not uniting it. This bill is evidence of the fact that you are an enemy of the Muslims.”

(With inputs from agencies)