JDU endorses Waqf Bill in Lok Sabha, opposition claims it 'anti-constitutional'

New Delhi: Key BJP ally Janata Dal (United) on Wednesday delivered a full-throated endorsement of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in Lok Sabha and accused opposition parties of trying to set a narrative that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is anti-Muslim.

Union minister Lalan Singh claimed that the proposed amendments are in the interest of 'pasmanda' (backward Muslims) and the poor and women among the minority religion. It will bring transparency, he asserted. "Pasmandas will stand with Modi in the coming days as they received justice under his government," he said, adding that the opposition may not like the prime minister, but people do.

The Waqf Amendment Bill is designed to amend the Waqf Act of 1995 to address existing challenges and improve the management of Waqf properties in India. The Bill aims to streamline the Waqf Board’s functions, ensuring the efficient administration of these properties.

This Bill builds on the 2024 Waqf (Amendment) Bill and the Mussalman Waqf (Repeal) Bill, which were introduced with similar objectives to improve the functioning of the Waqf Board and address ongoing management issues.

Tabling the bill, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the legislation has nothing to do with religion, but deals only with properties. "The government is not going to interfere in any religious institution. The changes made in the Waqf law by the UPA government gave it overriding effect over other statutes, hence the new amendments were required," Rijiju said amid noisy opposition protest, adding, "You (opposition) tried to mislead the people on issues which are not part of the Waqf Bill."

The opposition parties, however, voiced strong concerns and protests over the bill. Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav sharply criticised the government, saying that the introduction of the Waqf Bill symbolised its failures. 

Yadav questioned the coherence of terms like "Unified Waqf Management", suggesting that the Bill's essence, whether articulated in English or Hindi, remained incomprehensible. He alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), despite claiming to be the world's largest political party, was embroiled in internal leadership disputes and could not decide on its party president.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah responded by contrasting the BJP's approach with that of opposition parties, which he claimed select their national presidents from a narrow circle of five individuals, often within a single family. Shah emphasised the BJP's vast membership base, arguing that it required time to elect its leader. He humorously remarked that Yadav himself could remain president for the next 25 years, highlighting the difference in leadership styles.

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Wednesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking withdrawal of the Waqf Bill, saying it will harm the interests of Muslims.

Congress described the bill as 'anti-muslim' and 'anti-constitutional'. “The Waqf Bill brought by this fascist government isn’t just anti-Muslim, it’s anti-Constitutional as well. This is a direct assault on Babasaheb Ambedkar’s vision of equality, federalism, and minority rights,” Congress Spokesperson Pawan Khera said. 

He also faulted the Bill’s requirement that two non-Muslim members be included in the Waqf Boards (Sections 9 and 14). Khera slammed this provision as what he called “an attempt to impose majoritarian control over a religious institution”, questioning, “Would the government ever demand Muslim members in the Ram Mandir Committee?”

Brewing problems

The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), a major organisation representing Muslims in India, on Wednesday said it will challenge the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in court, calling it a "black law" that threatens the rights of the community.

Criticising the bill at a press conference, AIMPLB member Mohammed Adeeb claimed it is an attempt to seize the properties of the Muslim community. "They have started this spectacle thinking they can take away our property. Can this be accepted? Do not think that we are defeated," Adeeb said, emphasising that the fight against the bill is just a beginning.

Stating that the bill was opposed during deliberations in the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) set up to review it, Adeeb said, "It should not be assumed that we have lost the battle. We have just begun. This is a fight to save the country because the proposed law endangers the very fabric of India."

(With inputs from PTI and IANS)