Union Minister Kiren Rijiju urged all Members of Parliament (MPs) on Wednesday to extend their support for the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, emphasizing the need to utilize India’s vast Waqf properties for the benefit of the Muslim community, particularly women, children, and marginalized groups.
Rijiju’s appeal followed a controversy sparked by All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) chief Badruddin Ajmal, who made claims that significant parts of the national capital, including the Parliament building and surrounding areas, were constructed on Waqf property.
Taking to social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), Rijiju posted, “We appeal to all MPs to support the Waqf Amendment Bill. Parliament & Municipal buildings, Airports, cities & villages need protection. India has the largest Waqf properties in the world. We must use them for the welfare of women, children & backward groups within the Muslim community.”
Ajmal further alleged that areas in Delhi, including Vasant Vihar and the airport region, were built on Waqf land, and criticized the government’s handling of Waqf property issues. “It is wrong to use Waqf land without permission. They will soon lose their ministry over this Waqf Board issue,” Ajmal remarked.
In response, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari accused Ajmal of engaging in appeasement politics, suggesting that Ajmal’s remarks were politically motivated due to a shift in his voter base, which supported Congress in the recent Lok Sabha elections. Bhandari criticized Ajmal’s statements, saying, “Do not insult the Constitution while indulging in appeasement politics. Secularism, as enshrined in our Constitution, means that the sovereignty of the country cannot be leased out to any private entity. If it were up to them, they would claim every land as Waqf land. This is why the government is working to introduce the Waqf Amendment Act, so it genuinely benefits poor Muslims.”
Not only Parliament building, areas around Vasant Vihar upto the Delhi Airport, everything is Waqf board property -AIUDF Chief Badruddin Ajmal
He sits in the same parliament…!!! pic.twitter.com/1G9OFKR8Me
— Mr Sinha (@MrSinha_) October 16, 2024
In a related development, opposition MPs have expressed concerns over procedural violations during the Joint Parliamentary Committee discussions on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024. Several MPs have written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, highlighting what they termed as “gross violations” of the parliamentary code of conduct during the committee’s deliberations.
The ongoing debate around the Waqf Amendment Bill has brought attention to the management and utilization of Waqf properties in India, with the government aiming to ensure that these assets are used effectively for the welfare of the Muslim community.
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