Waqf (Amendment) Bill: Terming the Waqf (Amendment) Bill ‘unconstitutional’, AIMIM chief and MP Asaduddin Owaisi opposed the report of the Joint Committee and said that it is a grave violation of Articles 15, 15 and 29, but is being brought to snatch Waqf from Muslims and destroy it.
Notably, the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) report on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill was tabled in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on Thursday, sparking a massive uproar from the opposition. JPC Chairman Jagdambika Pal presented the report in the Lok Sabha, while opposition parties protested, alleging that their dissenting views were not included in the final report.
What did Owaisi say?
On tabling of the JPC report on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in Parliament, AIMIM MP said, “I agree with what members of the JPC have said, this Waqf Bill is not just unconstitutional and a grave violation of Article 15, 15 and 29, but is being brought to snatch Waqf from Muslims and destroy it. We condemn this bill.”
“The amendments presented by the BJP and NDA made it even worse. You tell me, how can a non-Muslim member be included in the Muslim Waqf properties? How will you give powers to Collectors and above officers? How will a Collector decide whether a property belongs to Waqf or not?” he added.
What do other opposition leaders say?
On Waqf JPC report tabled in the Lok Sabha, Samajwadi Party MP Awadhesh Prasad says, “The Opposition’s suggestions regarding the Bill were totally ignored. This bill has been presented to distract from important issues in the country. We have not only opposed the Bill but also boycotted it, and we will not let this pass on any condition.”
SP MP Dimple Yadav said, “The way the dissent notes given by opposition members were not included in the Waqf Amendment Bill. The government is bringing this bill in an arbitrary manner. They have brought the bill to on the last day of the session to cause distraction.”
SP MP Iqra Hasan said, “The committee report has been submitted and we have received information from the committee members that the committee proceedings were conducted in a partisan manner. Inputs were not taken independently… We are against the bill. It is unconstitutional and against the rights of minorities. Many dissenting notes of JPC members have been edited and put in the report. Their concerns have not been incorporated…”
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