The state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today praised the central government for passing the controversial Waqf Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha.
A press release from the state unit welcomed the insertion of a provision that states “that no land belonging to tribals under the provisions of the Fifth Schedule or the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution shall be declared or deemed to be Waqf property.”
The BJP also played up the support the amendment received from the Catholic Bishops Conference of India, which had referred to a specific incident in Kerala while expressing its support for the bill.
“However, those opposed to the Waqf bill are conveniently ignoring the voice of the minorities while claiming to be champions of minority rights. This kind of devious strategy aimed at spreading misinformation so unjust and corrupt practices can continue has no place” under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the party added.
Muslim groups have argued that the bill “aims to weaken the Waqf laws and pave the way for the seizure and destruction of Waqf properties”. Congress MP from Assam, Gaurav Gogoi, said in Parliament that the bill would “dilute the Constitution, defame minority communities, divide Indian society and disenfranchise minorities”.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah defended the legislation, saying that the opposition was scaring minorities by creating “an illusion that this bill would interfere in the religious activities of Muslim brothers and in their donated property”.
The amendment grants the government power to regulate the management of Waqf donations and determine whether a property qualifies as Waqf. The bill also proposes the induction of two non-Muslim members on the Waqf boards that oversee these properties.
