Opposition Unites Against the Bill
New Delhi [India], April 2 (ANI): Congress MP K Suresh on Wednesday stated that the INDIA bloc opposes the Waqf Amendment Bill and will resist its passage in Parliament.
“The entire opposition is against this bill. Our members in the Joint Parliamentary Committee have also decided to oppose it. Yesterday, the INDIA bloc leaders unanimously agreed to reject the Waqf Amendment Bill,” K Suresh said.
Allegations of Unconstitutional Proceedings
Congress leader Khaleequr Rahman criticized the central government over the bill, claiming that the entire process is being carried out in an unconstitutional manner.
Rahman expressed disappointment with the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) proceedings, accusing them of ignoring opposition recommendations.
“The entire exercise is being conducted in a highly unconstitutional manner. The way the JPC has handled the process is deeply disappointing. It was unexpected for the JPC to proceed in this manner, as most of the recommendations submitted by opposition members were ignored. Instead, the BJP is trying to push through the bill forcefully,” Rahman stated.
“We have been clear from day one that we reject these amendments, and even our government had previously opposed them,” he added.
Opposition’s Amendments Ignored
Congress leader Atul Londhe also accused the JPC of disregarding the opposition’s proposed amendments.
“None of the amendments proposed by the opposition were implemented. When the bill was presented before the Cabinet in Parliament, the opposition’s amendments were excluded. Later, after an uproar, it was revealed that out of 44 amendments, only 14 were approved. The government does not want a clause-by-clause discussion in the JPC. The 31-member JPC consists of 20 members from the NDA, plus the chairman, making it 21 from the NDA and 10 from the opposition,” Londhe said.
VHP Accuses Opposition of Misinformation
Meanwhile, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Vinod Bansal accused the opposition of “spreading misinformation” and urged the Muslim community to distance itself from “radical leadership.”
“I urge everyone to read the bill before making claims. Spreading misinformation is unacceptable in a democracy. The Muslim community should reject radical leaders who spread lies, make false allegations, and undermine democratic and parliamentary traditions. The Waqf Board possesses lakhs of hectares of land, but has any Muslim truly benefited from it? The government aims to ensure that everyone benefits, yet the opposition has a problem with that. This bill will serve as a strong pillar for India’s democracy and the protection of its assets,” Bansal stated.
Next Steps for the Bill
The bill will be tabled after today’s Question Hour for consideration and passage. An eight-hour discussion is scheduled, which may be extended if necessary.
Originally introduced in the Lok Sabha in August last year, the bill was referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee, chaired by Jagdambika Pal, for further review.
The Waqf Amendment Bill aims to modify the Waqf Act of 1995 to address issues related to the regulation and management of waqf properties. It seeks to improve the administration of waqf assets by renaming the Act, updating waqf definitions, enhancing the registration process, and incorporating technology for better record management. (ANI)
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