Opposition Fails to See Benefits: Rijiju Defends Waqf Amendment Bill in Rajya Sabha

New Delhi [India], April 4 (ANI): Federal Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju On Thursday, they charged that the opposing political groups were attempting to deceive the public regarding the Waqf Amendment Bill, stating that it would advantage millions of individuals within the Muslim community.

In response to the more than 12-hour-long discussion on the bill in the Rajya Sabha, Rijiju stated that numerous recommendations from the Joint Parliamentary Committee had been included in the amended version of the legislation.

"When the Waqf Amendment Bill was initially drafted and compared to the bill we are passing today, many alterations have taken place. Significant differences would have occurred if we hadn't incorporated various recommendations," he stated.

He stated that the BJP-led administration was not instilling fear in anyone and charged the opposing political groups with attempting to frighten members of the minority community.

“You are trying to create a scare and trying to take (them) away from the mainstream. Do not mislead in the future..it (the bill) will benefit crores of Muslims,” he said.

Rijiju stated that once a property is designated as a Waqf property, its status becomes immutable and must adhere to the prescribed procedure for such designation.

On Wednesday, Lok Sabha initiated discussions on the Waqf (Amendment Bill). The bill was eventually approved well after midnight following an extensive debate session.

Rijiju stated that the government has not interfered with the Waqf property.

"The Waqf Board is a legally mandated organization, so why must only Muslims be part of this legal entity? In case of conflicts between Hindus and Muslims, how would such disagreements be addressed? ... Disputes could also arise within the Waqf Board involving individuals who aren’t Muslim... The board should maintain a secular stance and include representatives from various religious backgrounds," he stated.

He also said no non-Islamic member will get a place in the Waqf Board’s work related to religious donations.

Rijiju, who moved the bill for passing in Rajya Sabha earlier, said the government had strengthened mechanisms under the bill, including tribunals."We have included the Right to Appeal in this bill. If you don't get your right in the Tribunal, then you can file a petition in court under this Right to Appeal," he said.

Rijiju said that the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, will be renamed as the UMEED (Unified Waqf Management Empowerment Efficiency and Development) Bill.

Rijiju also accused the Congress-led UPA government of denotifying 123 prime properties on the eve of Lok Sabha polls in 2014 due to "vote bank politics".

"Just before implementation of model code of conduct ahead of 2014 general elections, on March 5, 2014, UPA govt denotified 123 prime properties and handed them over to Delhi Waqf Board. These properties were of the Housing and Urban Affairs ministry," he said."If you look at it, then the case was going on since 1970, and it is pending since then, you must have heard of the CGO complex, I can give the list later, they handed over prime properties," he added.

The government introduced the revised bill after incorporating the recommendations of the Joint Parliamentary Committee, which examined the legislation introduced in August last year. The bill seeks to amend the Act of 1995 and improve the administration and management of waqf properties in India.

This legislation seeks to address the deficiencies of the prior act and boost the effectiveness of Waqf boards by refining the registration procedures and amplifying the use of technology in maintaining waqf documentation.

Members of the Indian coalition have vehemently objected to the bill.

During the lengthy debate in the Rajya Sabha, tensions flared up between opposition members and those from the ruling party. Following Congress leader Syed Naseer Hussain’s criticism of the government regarding the legislation, BJP representative Radha Mohan Das Agrawal responded sharply. He alleged that during Hussain's election to the Rajya Sabha, "Pakistan Zindabad" chants were supposedly made by his supporters in Karnataka.

Later, opposition members disagreed with Agrawal's comments and stated that the member was subjected to defamation without prior notice, which they claimed went against established procedures.

The Home Minister, Amit Shah, stated that no charges have been brought against the Congress party member.

He stated that the BJP member claimed "Pakistan Zindabad" slogans were heard.

"These were brought up by another party. Naseer Hussein needs to clarify why this happened," Amit Shah stated.

Naseer Hussain stated that nobody at the event had heard these particular chants, which were mentioned solely by a single reporter. He urged the state administration to investigate the matter thoroughly to uncover the facts and bring those responsible to justice.

A brief commotion occurred during Sudhanshu Trivedi’s speech on the bill. The BJP representative stated that the Muslim community, once associated with accomplished individuals from Bollywood, is now being linked primarily with those involved in legal infractions. He mentioned several names.

Despite strong objections from certain segments of the opposition, Amit Shah stated that the BJP member did not make comments targeting the Muslim community in general; instead, they named individuals involved with the INDIA alliance who have pending legal cases against them.

Amit Shah also took potshots at Congress member Digvijaya Singh, who made brief comments amid the din. “Inko mera hauha hai, sirf main dikhta hun…”, Amit Shah said.

Amit Shah also countered Digvijaya Singh over remarks that he was Gujarat's Home Minister during riots in the state in 2002.

“I was not Home Minister...I became Home Minister after 18 months,” Amit Shah said.

Opposition members demanded that some remarks of Sudhanshu Trivedi should be expunged.

Several members including Leader of House JP Nadda and Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge took part in the debate. (ANI)

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