As minority and parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju sought to table the Bill to amend the Waqf Act, Congress’s KC Venugopal disrupted the proceedings and built the case that the bill was “unconstitutional”, sternly demanding that the bill be withdrawn in the interests of saving the “federal system” of the country.
The Allapuzha MP, who earlier in the day initiated a notice to oppose the introduction of the Bill in the Lok Sabha, rose up and said that allowing non-Muslims to be members of the Waqf Board is attack on the “freedom of religion”.
This is a draconian law and a fundamental attack on the Constitution, Venugopal said.
The MP also said the saffron party is continuing with “divisive politics” despite people giving them a “lesson” in the polls. The Congress leader also accused the BJP of choosing to move this bill selectively with an eye on elections in Maharashtra and Haryana. This is an attack on the federal system, KC Venugopal said as he was allowed by the Speaker to speak on the tabling of the bill.
“Next you will go for Christians, then Jains…People of India will not buy this kind of divisive politics now”, he charged.
Opposition members voice strong opposition
SP MP Akhilesh Yadav, who has gone tooth and nail after the Modi 3.0 government since the proposal came to light, said, “Some rights of Lok Sabha speaker too are being taken away, we will have to fight for it”, to which home minister Amit Shah responded, “Rights of Lok Sabha speaker is not only meant for the opposition, it’s for the entire Lok Sabha”
Rampur MP of SP Mohibbullah also joined his leader and opposed the bill warning that the country will face grave consequences if this bill is allowed to be tabled and said this is” interfering with the religion”, while Sudip Bandopadhyay of TMC said it’s “violative of Art 14, 25 & 26” of the Constitution.
DMK MP Kanimozhi called it a sad day and accused the government of going against the Constitution. It violates Art 25 & 26 of the Constitution that allow people to follow their religion, she said, adding that this bill is targeting a particular religious group, Muslim minority.
“This bill targets a particular religious group.”
NCP’s Supriya Sule too opposed the tabling of the bill and and added that the MPs were oblivious until they came to know of it from media reports. The Baramati MP demanded that bill be withdrawn because of its “divisive” nature. “I request the govt to either withdraw this bill completely or send it to a standing committee…Please do not push agendas without consultations. However, parliamentary affairs minister irked by the claim rebutted saying it was circulated to MPs well in advance.
AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi picked up the same cue from his colleagues and said that the bill is in violation of all the provisions of the Constitution. The Hyderabad MP also said it was an evidence that the ruling government is against the interests of the Muslim.
“This bill is both discriminatory and arbitrary…By bringing this bill, the Central govt are doing the work of dividing the nation not uniting it”.
The bill to amend the law governing Waqf boards proposes far-reaching changes in the Wakf Act, 1995, including ensuring the representation of Muslim women and non-Muslims in such bodies. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill also aims at renaming the act to the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Act.
