The BJP-led government is set to present the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, as announced by Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs, Kiren Rijiju. The bill will be introduced after the question hour and will be discussed for eight hours, with the possibility of extending the debate. Rijiju had previously briefed BJP spokespersons on the bill, highlighting its advantages for the Muslim community. He emphasized that the bill does not infringe on religious institutions freedom and aims to provide rights to those previously lacking them. The bill seeks to improve Waqf management, promoting transparency and digitization.

The opposition has strongly criticized the amendment, calling it unconstitutional and accusing the BJP of attempting to take away the rights of Muslims. AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi labeled the bill as unconstitutional, claiming it violates Articles 14, 25, 26, and 29 of the Indian Constitution. He further referred to it as the Waqf Barbaad Bill and questioned the NDA allies—Nitish Kumar, Chandrababu Naidu, Chirag Paswan, and Jayant Chaudhary—about their support for it. Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav also voiced strong opposition, accusing the BJP of seeking control over everything. He criticized the party for attempting to interfere with the Waqf Board.

The bill, which was first introduced in the Lok Sabha in August of the previous year, was referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee led by Jagdambika Pal for further review. The amendment seeks to address the issues in regulating and managing Waqf properties, improving administration, and enhancing the efficiency of Waqf boards. It also aims to modernize the process by renaming the Act, updating definitions, improving registration, and increasing the role of technology in managing Waqf records. The Waqf Act of 1995 has faced long-standing criticism for mismanagement, corruption, and encroachments.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from PTI.