Waqf bill ploy to boost BJP vote bank: Oppn

New Delhi: Opposition leaders in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday said that the Waqf Amendment Bill violated Constitutional principles and questioned the government’s intent, calling it as a ploy to improve its vote bank after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) got reduced to 240 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Congress leader Naseer Hussain, the first Opposition speaker in the Rajya Sabha debate, pointed out how BJP stalwarts such as Rajnath Singh, LK Advani and Sushma Swaraj supported the waqf bills and amendments in 1995 and 2013. “If the 1995 and 2013 bills were draconian, why did you support?” Hussain asked.

The Congress leader also pointed out the “delay” in bringing the new bill. “The BJP came to power in 2014. At that time, they didn’t say the current law is draconian or aimed to appease a community. Now they have suddenly realised in 2024. But why? Because they gave a call for 400 seats but got only 240 seats. They are unable to understand how to improve vote bank or which issue to pick. Therefore, they brought the waqf bill,” Hussain said.

Countering the BJP’s charges of Muslim appeasement, the Congress leader said, “They are trying to polarise the whole country and the entire world knows who benefits out of polarisation, which party indulges in communal issues. Which party makes a community villain and creates a narrative against the community.”

The waqf amendment bill was passed in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday and was cleared in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, paving the way for fundamental changes in another legislation that governs Islamic traditions, after the law banning triple talaq in 2019.

Hussain refuted the ruling dispensation’s claims that any property can be forcibly taken away by the waqf board, pointing out that the boards have little power and the judicial process in the transfer of such property also involved government officials.

“The biggest misinformation is the waqf board can claim any land. Offering namaz in trains or flights doesn’t make them waqf properties. The BJP has been in power for 10 years. In the central waqf council, only (minority affairs minister) Kirern Rijiju’s name can be seen, but the council doesn’t exist. Budget is not given for the waqf council. In BJP ruled states, state waqf boards have not been constituted for years. Those who don’t constitute waqf board are saying they will help poor Muslims,” Hussain said.

Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Manoj Jha alleged that the content and intent of the waqf bill put a question mark on the government, as he suggested that the bill should be sent to a select committee of Parliament once again.

Jha alleged that it is like “dog whistle politics” to alienate the Muslims from the mainstream as he referred to recent incidents of social boycott or attacks on minority communities. “Majority (of a party) in the House (Parliament) is not a wisdom mark and all of us have come here after being elected by someone,” he said.

Communist Party of India- Marxist’s John Brittas called the bill an attack on “the basic tenets of India’s Constitution, which is secularism, where it is democracy, and equality”.

“There is a cardinal violation happening. They have already discriminated against people by segregating them. They are now segregating God from God,” he said.

YV Subba Reddy of the YSR Congress Party opposed the bill, saying it was unconstitutional.

Muzibulla Khan of the Biju Janata Dal said Muslims in this country were tense because a non-Muslim will be part of the waqf management under this bill.

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader Tiruchi Siva said his party opposed the bill as it was legally flawed. “Even as BJP workers go to court against the Places of Worship Act and try to find mandir under mosques, other countries are going ahead but we are digging into history,” he said.

Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi said the legislation “100%” violated Article 26. “Any process which becomes a part of a religious practice, it gets protection of Article 25 and 26,” he said.

He pointed out that the bill said a minimum of only three members of waqf board, i.e. 3 out of 11, should be Muslims. “That is, 8 out of 11 can be non-Muslims. Which right of autonomy under Article 26 did you leave with the community? As far as waqf council is concerned, it is a blessing that at least 12 out of 22 should be Muslims. Fourth, Articles 25 and 26 give the right to people of their religion to run their own institutions. By clause 14 of this bill, the right to remove the chairman of waqf board by no-confidence vote has now been removed. Is the democratic process left, is autonomy left?” he asked.

“Earlier, it was mandatory for the CEO of the waqf board to be a Muslim and it was necessary to appoint only one of the two persons whose names were given by the board. Clause 15 of the bill removes all this. Everything will now be based on the nomination of Big Brother,” Singhvi said.

He referred to six endowment acts and said, “In even one of these, can you dare to give any jurisdiction to anyone other than that community, that religion? I appreciate and fully support the BJP’s new friend, hon’ble Mr. Chandrababu Naidu, when he said how can a non-Hindu sit in Tirupati Board? So on what basis is the government applying this ostentation, this step-motherly treatment, this different criteria to the Muslim community?”

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday said his party opposed the waqf bill as he claimed the Union government has its eye on the land of the Waqf boards and asserted it may turn its attention to the land of temples, churches and gurdwaras next.

Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, Thackeray said, “The bill is a ploy to take away (Waqf) land and give it to its industrialist friends. The government is eyeing Waqf land, but temple trusts, churches, gurdwaras too have land. It may be eyeing lands of Hindu temples as well. The bill was brought just for land. We have opposed this sham.”