Union Minister of Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Thursday moved the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 in the Lok Sabha. The Congress opposed the Bill, saying it was against the Constitution.
"We are Hindus, but at the same time, we respect the faith of other religions. This bill is specialized for the Maharashtra and Haryana elections. You do not understand that last time the people of India taught you a lesson. This is an attack on the federal system," Congress MP KC Venugopal said in the Lower House.
Venugopal said this bill is a fundamental attack on the Constitution. "Through this bill, they are putting a provision that non-Muslims also be members of the Waqf governing council. It is a direct attack on freedom of religion. Next, you will go for Christians, then Jains...People of India will not buy this kind of divisive politics now."
The opposition parties have demanded that the Waqf (Amendment) Bill be sent to Parliament's standing committee for scrutiny after it is introduced, with the government telling the Business Advisory Committee that it will take a call after assessing the sense of Lok Sabha.
The Bill which seeks to amend the law governing waqf boards has proposed far-reaching changes in the present Act, including ensuring the representation of Muslim women and non-Muslims in such bodies.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill also seeks to rename the Waqf Act, 1995, as the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Act, 1995.
The Bill was circulated among Lok Sabha members on Tuesday night ahead of its introduction. According to its statement of objects and reasons, the Bill seeks to omit Section 40 of the current law relating to the powers of the Board to decide if a property is waqf property.
It provides for a broad-based composition of the Central Waqf Council and the State Waqf Boards and ensures the representation of Muslim women and non-Muslims in such bodies. The Bill also proposes the establishment of a separate board of Auqaf for the Bohras and Aghakhanis. The draft law provides for the representation of Shias, Sunnis, Bohras, Agakhanis, and other backward classes among Muslim communities.
(With inputs from PTI)