Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday said that the Waqf Amendment Bill, set to be introduced in the Lok Sabha, serves the nation’s best interests. Dismissing opposition to the bill as politically motivated, Rijiju emphasized that any objections should be rooted in logic and assured that the government is prepared to address all concerns.
Speaking to the media, Rijiju highlighted the significance of the bill, calling it a “historic day” and underscoring its importance not only for Muslims but for the entire nation. “This bill is being introduced in the interest of the country, and crores of Muslims, along with the whole country, will support it,” he said. He also addressed the political opposition, asserting that those opposing the bill were doing so out of political motives. “If someone opposes, they should oppose on the basis of logic, and we will also answer them,” Rijiju added.
The Union Minister noted that the bill was the result of extensive thought and preparation, indicating that it had been carefully considered before its introduction.
In a show of support for the bill, Union Minister and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) President Jayant Chaudhary expressed his backing, stating, “We are with the NDA. We’ve issued a whip.” Similarly, Union Minister George Kurian voiced his approval, stating that all communities, including poor Muslims and the middle class, supported the amendment. Kurian further argued that the opposition to the bill was primarily coming from large landowners. “Only big landlords are opposing this Bill,” he said, stressing that the bill was transparent and directly linked to land and property.
Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Minister OP Rajbhar criticized opposition parties, accusing them of engaging in “vote politics.” He specifically targeted the Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), and Congress, alleging that their supporters were opposing the bill for political gains. Rajbhar also pointed out that the Waqf Board rules had been amended three times previously, with any shortcomings addressed to ensure that the benefits reached those under the Waqf Board’s jurisdiction. “I would like to ask those who are opposing to tell me the name of one poor person who has benefited from Waqf Board land,” he said. Rajbhar reiterated that the government’s goal was to ensure the benefit of Waqf land for the underprivileged, accusing the opposition of opposing the bill solely for votes.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill is set to be tabled in Parliament today, and both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress have issued whips to ensure the presence of their MPs in the House. With no signs of bipartisan consensus between the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Opposition INDIA bloc, the outcome of the bill’s introduction is expected to be determined by the majority numbers present in the Lok Sabha.
(With ANI inputs)
