Opposition Slams Centre Over Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 in Lok Sabha

Opposition parties launched a fierce attack on the Centre as Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju moved the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 in Lok Sabha. The bill, criticized for targeting minority groups and undermining constitutional principles, sparked heated debates among MPs about its implications.

The Opposition parties launched a fierce attack on the Centre, following Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju's introduction of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 in Lok Sabha on Thursday. Nationalist Congress Party (SCP) MP Supriya Sule called for the withdrawal of the bill or its referral to a standing committee, urging the government not to push agendas without consultations.

Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) MP NK Premachandran warned that the bill would be struck down during judicial scrutiny, arguing it disempowers the Waqf Board and violates constitutional principles. Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav similarly opposed the bill, claiming it was introduced with a specific political agenda. Congress MP KC Venugopal described the bill as an attack on the federal system, suggesting it was designed for electoral gains in Maharashtra and Haryana.

AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi and DMK MP Kanimozhi highlighted the bill's discriminatory nature, arguing it violates Articles 14, 15, 25, and 30 of the Constitution by targeting a particular religious group. In contrast, JD(U) MP and Union Minister Rajeev Ranjan defended the bill, asserting its purpose was to bring transparency and not undermine religious freedoms. Rijiju reiterated that the bill aimed to address issues related to State Waqf Boards, registration and survey of waqf properties, and removal of encroachments.