New Delhi:
Breaking News: The Waqf Amendment Bill debate kicked off with a bang in the Lok Sabha today. Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju presented the bill, which aims to make changes to laws governing Muslim charitable properties.
Rijiju didn’t hold back, taking shots at the Congress for what he called “questionable” changes made to Waqf laws while they were in power. He accused them of denotifying 123 major buildings that were originally meant for Waqf use.
According to Rijiju, the UPA government, if not stopped, would have even handed over the Parliament building to the Waqf Board. He emphasized the need for the current government to introduce amendments to prevent such actions.
Rijiju’s speech drew attention to the need for property management changes, rather than religious sentiments. He criticized the opposition for misinforming the public about the bill and accused them of trying to politicize the issue.
He highlighted the importance of empowering Muslim women and children under the proposed law. The bill aims to ensure secular and inclusive representation in the Waqf boards across states.
Addressing concerns about lack of female representation, Rijiju assured that the government had included provisions for at least two women members on each board.
The debate saw some opposition members questioning the changes made by the joint parliamentary committee to the bill. Speaker Om Birla, however, clarified that both sides were given equal time to present their views.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah also joined the discussion, defending the amendments made by the committee and criticizing the opposition for their resistance.
Waqf Amendment Bill Timeline
The Waqf Amendment Bill was first introduced in the Lok Sabha last year, sparking protests from the opposition. It was later sent to a committee for review, which submitted its report in February.
The committee, led by BJP’s Jagadambika Pal, made several suggestions that were accepted by the government. The bill went through multiple hearings and debates before reaching its current state.
Despite opposition claims of being ignored, the BJP maintained that all views were considered during the process. The final version of the bill includes provisions for non-Muslim and female members on Waqf boards.
After a series of debates and amendments, the bill is now up for discussion in the Lok Sabha, with the government pushing for its approval.
