New Delhi: The amended Waqf Bill, which was sent to a joint parliamentary committee for review in August 2024, is slated to be introduced in the Lok Sabha on April 2, according to sources. The Bill has faced significant opposition, with critics labelling it unconstitutional and detrimental to the Muslim community.
Sources indicate that senior BJP ministers plan to engage in discussions with leaders of the INDIA bloc before presenting the Bill in Parliament. The ongoing Budget session is set to conclude on April 4, leaving a narrow window for the Bill’s passage through both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.
Minority Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju stated on Monday that the government is fully prepared to table the Bill. He accused certain political parties and organisations of attempting to mislead the public and create unrest over its provisions. “There are deliberate attempts to spread misinformation about the Bill. Some people are claiming that it will take away Muslim properties like mosques and graveyards, which is completely false,” Rijiju said. He asserted that the Bill merely seeks to regulate Waqf properties, a practice that has existed since the British era.
The Bill, expected to be introduced in the Lower House on Wednesday, has been under scrutiny by a Joint Parliamentary Committee, which approved it with several amendments. However, 11 Opposition MPs in the committee submitted dissenting opinions, signalling continued resistance.
Opposition parties and various Muslim organisations have mobilised against the Bill, calling it discriminatory. Many Muslim groups urged community members to wear black armbands during Ramzan and Eid as a form of protest. Rijiju criticised this move, stating, “Inciting people to take to the streets is not in the country’s interest.”
Responding to concerns about the Bill’s impact, Rijiju compared the Opposition’s rhetoric to that surrounding the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. “When the CAA was enacted, there were similar falsehoods spread. Has a single Muslim lost citizenship because of it? No,” he said.
The government has emphasised that discussions with different parties will take place before finalising the Bill’s introduction. Rijiju claimed that not only the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) but also several MPs from the opposition INDIA bloc have privately urged him to bring the Bill forward.
“The Bill benefits the majority of the Muslim community. The only ones opposing it are those who have exploited Waqf properties for personal gains,” he stated. He also noted that the Kerala Catholic Bishops Council has expressed support for the proposed law.
The Union Cabinet recently approved the Bill after incorporating recommendations from the parliamentary committee. The committee’s 655-page report was presented to both Houses earlier this month, setting the stage for a contentious parliamentary debate.
with agency inputs