Kerala's Political Tug-of-War Over Waqf Amendment Bill

In Kerala, the CPI(M) and IUML have voiced strong opposition to the Centre's Waqf Amendment Bill, urging MPs to reject it. Opponents argue the bill could set a precedent affecting all minority communities. Meanwhile, the BJP asserts the bill addresses local issues and discourages appeasement politics.

In a developing story from Kerala, political tensions are escalating over the Central Government's proposed Waqf Amendment Bill. Both the CPI(M) and IUML have announced their firm opposition, challenging the bill as potentially harmful to minority communities beyond the Muslim population. They have urged MPs to voice their dissent in Parliament.

The IUML's leader, Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal, has reaffirmed the party's commitment to opposing the bill, even considering a legal challenge if it is passed. P K Kunhalikutty, the IUML's national general secretary, warned that the bill's implications could extend to the properties of all minority communities.

Conversely, the BJP's Kerala president, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, has called on state MPs to support the bill, insisting it is not discriminatory and effectively addresses community concerns, such as those in Munambam. His appeal comes with demonstrations directed at opposition MPs, highlighting what he describes as 'hypocritical politics' in the state.

(With inputs from agencies.)