Waqf Bill: ‘What could be a bigger injustice,’ asks Akhilesh Yadav as Opposition bands together to oppose bill

Waqf Bill in Lok Sabha today: The INDIA bloc has banded together to oppose the Waqf (Amendment) Bill that will be taken up in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. The bill intends to enhance the management of Waqf properties. 

Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav asked what could be a bigger injustice and accused the ruling party, BJP, of eyeing land acquisitions all across the country. "Our party will oppose it... What could be a bigger injustice than not giving importance to the words of the people for whom this bill is being brought?" he asked, accusing BJP of indulging in divisive politics.

“They sold railways land, defence land and now Waqf land will be sold... This is all a plan to hide their failures,” he said. 

The INDIA bloc presented a united face on Tuesday as they strategised to oppose the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in Parliament. Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, and KC Venugopal, Samajwadi Party's Ram Gopal Yadav, NCP's Supriya Sule, TMC's Kalyan Banerjee, and AAP's Sanjay Singh. DMK's T R Baalu, Tiruchi Siva, and Kanimozhi, RJD's Manoj Kumar Jha, CPI-M's John Brittas, CPI's Sandosh Kumar P, RSP's N K Premchandran, and Vaiko also participated in the meeting.

Kharge emphasised they would counter what he termed as the Modi government's unconstitutional agenda, while Gandhi noted that a detailed discussion on the bill was held among leaders from both houses of Parliament. Venugopal declared the bill unconstitutional and targeted, stating that INDIA parties committed to the Constitution would vote against it. He highlighted concerns regarding the Christian community's churches and urged resolution of the Munambam Waqf land dispute in Kerala.

Congress MP Pramod Tiwari accused the BJP of opposing minority religions and vowed that the INDIA Bloc would resist the bill with full strength. TMC MP Banerjee expressed the desire for discussion and voting, criticising the BJP for allegedly avoiding debate.

RJD MP Jha warned that if the government attempted to bulldoze the opposition, it might be compelled to withdraw the bill, drawing parallels with the farmers' protests. He accused the BJP of alienating the Muslim community through targeted politics.

NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule affirmed the commitment to participate in the debate, underscoring the importance of a strong democracy governed by the Constitution. DMK MP Kanimozhi reiterated the alliance's unified stance to oppose the bill, advocating for protection of all communities.