New Delhi [India], April 1 (ANI): Criticizing the Waqf Amendment Bill, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday called it unconstitutional and a “grave violation” of Articles 14, 25, 26, and 29 of the Indian Constitution.
Owaisi labeled the bill as a “Waqf Barbaad Bill” rather than a Waqf Bill and questioned NDA allies Nitish Kumar, Chandrababu Naidu, Chirag Paswan, and Jayant Chaudhary on their support for the proposed amendments.
“This bill is unconstitutional. It is a grave violation of Article 14, as well as Articles 25, 26, and 29. This is not a Waqf Bill; it is a Waqf Barbaad Bill. If Chandrababu Naidu, Nitish Kumar, Chirag Paswan, and Jayant Chaudhary support it, they are doing so for political reasons. What answer will they give to the public after five years? If a non-Hindu cannot become a member of the Hindu Endowment Board, then why are you appointing a non-Muslim here?” Owaisi told reporters.
Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha was adjourned today and is scheduled to reconvene at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday.
The government is set to table the revised Waqf Amendment Bill in Parliament this week. Union Minister of Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju responded to criticism by accusing some leaders of misleading people, asserting that the Waqf law has been in place for decades.
“Some people claim that the Waqf Amendment Bill is unconstitutional. However, Waqf regulations have existed since before independence. These provisions are already in place. If the Waqf Act has been in existence for so long, how can it be illegal? Some individuals are misleading innocent Muslims by falsely claiming that the government is trying to seize their properties and rights. Such misinformation is harmful to our society and nation,” Rijiju told the media.
Many opposition parties continue to oppose the proposed amendments to the Waqf Act. Earlier, Rijiju acknowledged that criticizing the bill was within everyone’s rights but emphasized that objections should be substantive.
On Monday, Congress MP and General Secretary in charge of Communications Jairam Ramesh called the Waqf (Amendment) Bill “a direct attack on the Constitution,” vowing to oppose its implementation and urging NDA allies Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Janata Dal (United) to clarify their stance.
“The Waqf (Amendment) Bill is a direct attack on the Constitution and its foundational principles. It has been bulldozed through the JPC (Joint Parliamentary Committee). If implemented, we will oppose it democratically,” Ramesh told ANI.
He further alleged that the bill was pushed through the Joint Parliamentary Committee without thorough discussion of each clause.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, also called the ‘Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development (UMEED) Bill,’ aims to address key challenges by introducing reforms such as digitization, enhanced audits, improved transparency, and legal mechanisms to reclaim illegally occupied properties.
The Waqf Act of 1995, which was enacted to regulate Waqf properties, has long been criticized for issues such as mismanagement, corruption, and encroachments. (ANI)
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