New Delhi, April 1: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government will introduce the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, announced on Tuesday.
The bill will be presented for consideration and passage after the Question Hour tomorrow, with an 8-hour debate scheduled, which may be extended, Rijiju added.
Earlier, Kiren Rijiju briefed BJP spokespersons about the Waqf Amendment Bill at the party's headquarters. During the meeting, he provided a comprehensive overview of the bill, emphasizing its benefits for the Muslim community. Rijiju clarified that the bill would not infringe on the autonomy of religious institutions but would instead address the rights of those who were previously marginalized. The primary goal of the amendment is to reform Waqf management, focusing on enhancing transparency and digitization.
The bill has faced strong opposition from various political parties, who have labeled it "unconstitutional." Critics accuse the BJP of attempting to "strip" Muslims of their rights. AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi condemned the bill, calling it a "grave violation" of Articles 14, 25, 26, and 29 of the Indian Constitution. Owaisi further denounced the bill as the "Waqf Barbaad Bill" rather than the Waqf Bill. He also challenged NDA allies like Nitish Kumar, Chandrababu Naidu, Chirag Paswan, and Jayant Chaudhary to justify their support for the bill.
Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav also voiced strong opposition, accusing the BJP of overreach. “We oppose the Waqf Board Bill because the BJP wants to interfere in every matter and control everything,” Yadav said.
The bill had previously been introduced in the Lok Sabha in August of last year, after which a Joint Parliamentary Committee, chaired by Jagdambika Pal, was formed for further examination. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill seeks to address various challenges in managing Waqf properties by amending the Waqf Act of 1995. The proposed changes aim to improve the administration and management of these properties, including renaming the Act, updating the definitions of Waqf, enhancing the registration process, and incorporating more technology in record management.
The Waqf Act, originally enacted in 1995 to regulate Waqf properties, has been criticized for issues such as mismanagement, corruption, and encroachments, which the amendment seeks to address.
(With agency inputs)
