All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi has warned the Narendra Modi government against tabling the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, in its current form.
During his speech in the Lok Sabha, Owaisi warned of “social instability in the country”.
“I am cautioning and warning this government – if you bring and make a Waqf law in the present form, which will be a violation of Article 25, 26 and 14, it will lead to social instability in this country. It has been rejected by the entire Muslim community. No Waqf property will be left, nothing will be left,” ANI quoted Owaisi as saying.
“You want to make India ‘Viksit Bharat’, we want ‘Viksit Bharat’. You want to take this country back to the ’80s and early ’90s, it will be your responsibility,” he added.
“As a proud Indian Muslim, I will not lose an inch of my Masjid…I will not lose an inch of my Dargah. I will not allow that. We will no more come and give a diplomatic talk over here. This is the House where I have to stand and speak honestly, that my community – we are proud Indians. It is my property, not given by anyone. You cannot snatch it away from me. Waqf is a form of worship for me,” Owaisi said.
Opposition MPs protest expunction of dissent notes on Waqf Bill report
On Monday, opposition MPs Kalyan Banerjee and Md Nadimul Haque, protested the alleged expunction of key portions of their dissent notes submitted to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill.
In a letter addressed to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, the MPs alleged that their objections were removed arbitrarily without prior notice or explanation.
“To our dismay and utter surprise, we found that the following objectives and dissent notes have been deleted by the Chairman without informing us and without our consent,” ANI quoted the the MPs’ letter.
The dissent notes, submitted after the draft report of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill was approved with 14 members in favour and 11 against, criticized the committee’s proceedings and recommendations.
Banerjee and Haque alleged that the committee’s conclusions were biased and predetermined. “The observations and/or recommendations are a glaring instance of preconceived motions and views of the Chairperson and the members of the ruling party,” the letter stated.
