Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: Opposition parties, led by Congress, have fiercely criticized the BJP over a proposed bill to amend the laws governing Waqf boards. Congress MPs KC Venugopal and Hibi Eden submitted a notice in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, opposing the bill’s introduction by Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju.
The bill, intended to give the government greater control over the regulation of Waqf properties, has sparked concern among various opposition parties. They are demanding that the bill be referred to Parliament’s standing committee for thorough scrutiny.
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav took a jab at the BJP, suggesting that the party is behaving like a real estate company and should rename itself “Bharatiya Zameen Party.” In a post on X, Yadav argued that the proposed bill is just another scheme benefiting BJP members, citing previous instances involving defense, railway, and Nazul lands. He called for a written guarantee that Waqf Board lands will not be sold.
Samajwadi Party MP Awdhesh Prasad echoed these concerns, stating that the bill appears to be an attempt by the government to encroach upon Waqf properties. “Let the bill be introduced in Parliament; the Samajwadi Party will make its stand clear,” he asserted.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi emphasized the need for consultation with all stakeholders and potential amendments. She questioned whether the bill had been discussed within the NDA alliance and whether parties like JD(U) and TDP had given their consent. Chaturvedi stressed that all stakeholders and parliamentarians should be heard on this matter.
According to sources, the government aims to pass the amendment bill unanimously in the Lok Sabha and is open to sending it to a joint parliamentary committee for further discussion. The proposed legislation, to be renamed the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development Act, seeks to streamline the registration of Waqf properties via a central portal. Key changes include forming a Central Waqf Council and state Waqf Boards, with representation from Muslim women and non-Muslims. Additionally, the bill would designate the District Collector as the arbiter in disputes over whether a property is Waqf land or government land.
