Waqf Bill referred to joint Parliamentary panel

New Delhi : The Waqf (Amendment) Bill was introduced in Lok Sabha on Thursday and referred to a joint parliamentary panel after a heated debate, with the government asserting the proposed law did not intend to interfere with the functioning of mosques and the opposition calling it targeting of Muslims and an attack on the Constitution.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said he will talk with leaders of all parties for constituting the joint parliamentary committee. Soon after Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju sought leave to introduce the Bill, opposition INDIA bloc MPs strongly protested the introduction of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, calling it an "attack" on the Constitution and aimed at targeting Muslims. Congress MP K C Venugopal, who had submitted notice to oppose its introduction, accused the government of violating the right to freedom of religion and claimed the legislation was being brought with an eye on the upcoming assembly polls. "This is a draconian law and a fundamental attack on the Constitution," Venugopal said.

NDA allies JD(U), TDP, Shiv Sena and the LJP backed the Waqf (Amendment) Bill

He said people taught the BJP a lesson -- in the Lok Sabha polls -- for its divisive politics but it is continuing with the same, keeping in mind the upcoming assembly elections in states such as Maharashtra. "It is a direct attack on freedom of religion....Next you will go for Christians, then Jains," he said.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said the Bill was being introduced to appease the BJP's hardcore supporters. "What is the point of including non-Muslims in Waqf boards when this is not done in other religious bodies?" Yadav asked.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chairperson Asaduddin Owaisi claimed that the House did not have the competence to make the amendments. "It is a grave attack on the basic structure of the Constitution as it violates the principle of judicial independence and separation of powers," he said. "You are enemies of Muslims and this Bill is evidence of that," Owaisi said.

Strongly defending the bill and hitting out at the Congress, Rijiju said the Wakf Act of 1995 did not serve its purpose and the amendments were necessitated as the Congress could not achieve the reform it should have.

He asserted the government had conducted thorough consultations at all levels, and also cited cases such as an entire village in Tamil Nadu being declared Waqf land to underline the need for reforms in the law.

The opposition shouldn't see such issues through the prism of religion, he said and accused it of misleading Muslims.

Similarly, the Surat municipal corporation headquarters was declared Waqf property, he said and asked how is this possible.

He assured Waqf board income will be used only for the welfare of the Muslim community. "It is my good fortune that being non-Muslim, I am getting opportunity to bring a Bill for welfare of Muslims," he said.