India has “strongly rejected” Pakistan’s remarks on the recently enacted Waqf Law, which will regulate the management of Muslim charitable properties. The Supreme Court is set to hear petitions challenging the legislation today. Responding to the comments, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal called Pakistan’s statements “motivated” and “baseless”.

He asserted that Pakistan has no “locus standi” in India’s internal affairs and urged it to look at its own “abysmal record when it comes to protecting the rights of minorities”. 

‘Pakistan should not interfere in India’s internal matter’

“We strongly reject the motivated and baseless comments made by Pakistan on the Waqf Amendment Act enacted by the Parliament of India,” said Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal. 

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He added, “Pakistan has no locus standi to comment on a matter that is internal to India. Pakistan would do better to look at its own abysmal record when it comes to protecting the rights of minorities, instead of preaching to others.”

Pakistan on Waqf Law

Pakistan’s Foreign Office tagged Waqf Law as a “discriminatory legislation”. 

“We strongly believe it [Waqf Law] is an infringement on the religious and economic rights of Indian Muslims. Particularly the Act usurps the property rights of the Muslim community and could potentially dispossess them of a number of mosques, shrines and other holy places,” Pakistan’s Shafqat Ali Khan told reporters in Islamabad. 

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He added, “The passage of this discriminatory legislation is also reflective of the growing majoritarianism in India. There are serious apprehensions that it will contribute to further marginalisation of Indian Muslims.”

Waqf Law

The Waqf Bill, passed by both Houses of Parliament – the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha – after marathon debates on April 3 and 4 respectively, became an Act on April 8. The Lok Sabha passed the Bill around 2 am with 288 votes in favour and 232 against, while the Rajya Sabha cleared it with 128 members voting in favour and 95 against.

PM Modi on Waqf

PM Modi, while speaking in Haryana’s Hisar, attacked Congress, asking why they had never appointed a Muslim as their party chief. He also said that Waqf land’s misuse forced Muslims to take up menial jobs like “fixing” punctures. 

“I want to ask these vote bank-hungry politicians, if you truly have even a little sympathy for Muslims in your heart, then why doesn’t the Congress party make a Muslim the party president? Why don’t they do it?” PM Modi said. 

He added, “Across the country, there are lakhs of hectares of land in the name of Waqf. This land, this property, should have been used for the welfare of the poor, helpless women and children. And if it had been used honestly, my young Muslim boys wouldn’t have had to spend their lives fixing cycle punctures.”