Parliament Passes Waqf (Amendment) Bill After Heated Rajya Sabha Debate

The Indian Parliament passed the Waqf (Amendment) Bill after a lengthy and intense discussion in the Rajya Sabha on Friday.

The Bill received approval in the Upper House by a majority of 128 votes in favor, against 95 votes opposing it.

The approval came just a day after the Bill passed the Lok Sabha, following a marathon debate that lasted nearly 12 hours.

Key Discussions in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha

Earlier in the week, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju made compelling arguments for the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha.

On Thursday, the Leader of Rajya Sabha and Union Minister JP Nadda led a passionate debate in the Rajya Sabha, sharply criticizing the opposition.

The debate culminated on Friday with a majority of members voting in favor of the Bill.

The Bill will now be sent to President Droupadi Murmu for her assent before it becomes law.

JP Nadda Criticizes Congress And Defends Bill

JP Nadda strongly criticized the Congress party for its handling of the Waqf Act, accusing the party of enacting the law in a manner that allegedly facilitated land mafias.

Speaking in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, Nadda passionately defended the proposed amendments, emphasizing the urgent need for reform to protect national interests and prevent the misuse of Waqf properties.

He stressed that Waqf properties should serve the welfare of poor Muslims.

Nadda highlighted the formation of a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) under the Modi government, noting that the committee had 31 members and held over 200 hours of debate on the Bill.

He contrasted this with the JPC established during the UPA government in 2013, which had only 13 members and lacked the same level of commitment.

Nadda shared insights into the extensive consultation process led by the JPC under the Modi government.

The committee convened 36 meetings, consulted 284 stakeholders, and visited 10 locations to gather comprehensive input on the Bill.

In contrast, the JPC under the previous UPA government engaged with only 18 stakeholders, a fact Nadda pointed out to underscore the Modi government’s dedication to thorough deliberation.

Opposition’s Criticism And Concerns

The opposition in the Rajya Sabha voiced strong opposition to the Bill, raising concerns about its potential impact on the rights of the Muslim minority.

Congress MP Syed Naseer Hussain accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of using the Bill to polarize and mislead, while Independent MP Kapil Sibal criticized the Bill for restricting property donations to Muslims and questioned its alignment with the principle of ‘one nation, one law’.

Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi labeled the Bill as unconstitutional, accusing the government of arbitrarily pushing a policy that violated constitutional rights under Articles 25-26.

Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, however, supported the Bill, praising its intent to protect donor-given properties from misuse by powerful individuals.

Concerns Over Potential Misuse Of Waqf Properties

JP Nadda addressed concerns over the identification of government properties as Waqf properties, questioning how temples, lakes, and other government assets were declared as Waqf properties.

He emphasized that the Waqf Amendment Bill aims to rectify this by empowering district collectors to determine rightful ownership and excluding lands under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) from Waqf claims.

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