Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday introduced the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 in the Lok Sabha on Thursday to amend the Waqf Act, 1995.

The bill was introduced amid opposition from Congress, Samajwadi Party MPs who called the bill “a direct attack on the freedom of religion”.

Calling the bill “arbitrary”, AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi said in the Lok Sabha today, “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 an evidence of the fact that you are an enemy of the Muslims.”

Congress leader KC Venugopal said the bill was “draconian” and a “fundamental attack” on the Constitution. He alleged that the bill would create religious divisions and hate between communities. He also opposed the provision of appointing non-Muslim members to Waqf board.

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Venugopal slammed the Centre, saying, “Next you will go for Christians, then Jains. People of India will not buy this kind of divisive politics now. This is a direct attack on freedom of religion.”

“We are Hindus, but at the same time, we respect the faith of other religions. This bill is specialised for the Maharashtra and Haryana elections. You do not understand that last time the people of India clearly taught you a lesson. This is an attack on the federal system,” he further said.

Samajwadi Party also opposed the Bill. Party MP Mohibbullah said, “This is an injustice to Muslims. We are going to commit a huge mistake, we will suffer because of this Bill for centuries. This is interference with religion.”

Earlier, party chief and MP Akhilesh Yadav alleged that the BJP wants to sell of lands belonging to Waqf boards in the guise of amendments. “All these amendments of the ‘Waqf Board’ are just an excuse; Selling lands like defence, railway and Nazul land is the target,” he said in a post on X.

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Defending the legislation, Union Minister and leader of BJP ally JDU, Rajiv Ranjan Singh, said the Bill has been brought to make the functioning of Waqf boards transparent. Countering the Opposition’s charge that the Bill is against minorities, he referred to the 1984 anti-Sik riots in the aftermath of the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. “Who killed thousands of Sikhs?” he asked.

ET Mohammed Basheer of the Indian Union Muslim League and K Radhakrishan of the CPM opposed the Bill too. Meanwhile, Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal United and Chandrababu Naidu-led Telugu Desam Party have supported the contentious Bill.