Waqf bill seeks to complete unfinished tasks of previous governments: Kiren Rijiju

NEW DELHI: Minority affairs minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday refuted the opposition's charge of the govt bulldozing an "anti-Muslim" legislation, and said the new waqf law was aimed at better management of waqf properties and to accomplish "unfulfilled tasks of previous govts".

When the bill was taken up in RS, some opposition MPs were wearing black as a mark of protest. INDIA bloc parties alleged that the bill was "unconstitutional" and aimed at targeting Muslims. Congress , TMC, DMK, AAP, Shiv Sena (UBT), Samajwadi Party, RJD and Left parties questioned the govt's intent behind bringing the legislation.

Leader of the House and BJP president J P Nadda pointed out that other Muslim-dominated countries, including Turkiye, Malaysia, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and Iran had changed their laws for better management of waqf properties. "When these Muslim nations are digitising waqf properties and making them accountable, then what is the problem if it is being done in India?" he said, adding that with the amendments, the govt has tried to ensure that waqf properties are in the right hands and used for the benefit of Muslims.

Nadda said Muslim women became second-grade citizens during UPA's term. "It was only India where Muslim women were not brought into the mainstream," he said, adding that triple talaq was banned in Muslim countries such as Egypt, Sudan, Bangladesh and Syria several years ago. "We believe in real service, not lip service. Today crores of Muslim sisters have the right to live with dignity. Who did it? It is a historic decision and none other than PM Modi has done it," Nadda said.

Nominated BJP MP Ghulam Ali supported the bill and said there was an urgent need for this legislation as a certain family was usurping Muslims' land. He called for a CBI inquiry into the misuse of waqf board and waqf properties.

Leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge accused the govt of trying to sow the seeds of conflict by suppressing Muslims through the legislation and appealed to BJP not to disturb peace and harmony in the country. "This is against Muslims, not constitutional, and don't try to stoke disturbances in the peaceful fabric of society," he said.

Rijiju countered the allegations and said, "Many people said this is unconstitutional, illegal and the right of Muslims is being snatched away. Very categorically, I want to reject all these allegations."

"Whatever you could not fulfil, the Narendra Modi govt has shown the courage to pursue," he said referring to Congress and its allies. He accused the Congress of "appeasement politics" and said that in 2013, the UPA govt had brought amendments to the 1995 Waqf Act ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls in a rush to appeal to the sentiments of the minority vote bank.

Rijiju said 31,999 cases were pending in the waqf tribunal and more than 14,000 litigants were Muslims, adding that a provision has been created to enable a person to challenge the tribunal's decision through civil suits in high courts.