Assam: The Lok Sabha’s passage of the Waqf Amendment Bill has ignited a firestorm of controversy, with opposition leaders, notably from the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), voicing vehement dissent.
AIUDF MLA and Party General Secretary Rafiqul Islam has delivered a scathing critique, branding the legislative move as “a black day for democracy.”
Islam asserts, “BJP, due to its numbers in the House, forcefully passed that bill,” further alleging, “Their main agenda was to seize the Waqf land from the hands of Muslims.” His remarks followed the bill’s clearance in the lower house after a protracted 12-hour debate, during which 288 votes were cast in favor, while 232 opposed it. All amendments proposed by opposition members were rejected via voice votes.
The AIUDF leader contends that the bill serves to fulfill a long-held ambition of Hindu nationalist organizations. “The agenda of the BJP and Vishwa Hindu Parishad was long pending. We have always been against it,” he stated. He further emphasized what he perceives as a discriminatory element within the new legislation. “In similar endowment acts of Hindus and Sikhs, people from other religions are not allowed. But now, in the Muslim endowment act, a non-Muslim will interfere.”
“It was an open conspiracy for the BJP to snatch away the lands of Muslims in which the BJP succeeded,” Islam concluded. He expressed hope for judicial recourse, stating, “We hope that we will get justice from the Supreme Court.”
Conversely, Union Minorities Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju defended the bill during the debate, asserting its potential to benefit minorities and maintaining that India remains a safe haven for all minority communities.
Read More: Manipur University Ignites Cultural Revival with Inaugural Indigenous Games Meet