New Delhi: Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday introduced the ‘Waqf (Amendment) Bill-2024’ in the Lok Sabha. During this, the opposition parties in the House opposed the bill in one voice and created a ruckus. During the proceedings of the House, a sharp altercation was also seen between Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav. During this, Amit Shah was also seen getting angry at the SP chief.
Akhilesh Yadav, while opposing the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, said, “This bill is being done under very well thought out politics. If you give all the power to a District Magistrate, you know what the District Magistrate did at one place, due to that today and the coming generation had to face it. The truth is that the BJP is bringing this bill to appease its frustrated, disappointed and a few staunch supporters. Today, our rights are being cut, remember I told you that you are the judge of democracy, I have heard in this lobby that some of your rights are also going to be taken away. We will have to fight for you (Speaker). I oppose this bill.”
On this reply of Akhilesh Yadav, Home Minister Amit Shah said angrily, “The rights of the Speaker are not just of the opposition, Akhilesh ji, but of all of us. You (Akhilesh) cannot say such evasive things. You are not the protector of the rights of the Speaker.”
At the same time, politics has intensified in UP regarding the Waqf Amendment Bill. BSP supremo Mayawati wrote on the social media platform X, “The forceful interference of the Central and UP government in the matters of mosque, madrasa, waqf etc. and taking excessive interest in religious matters like temple and monastery is against the Constitution and its principle of secularism, i.e. is such narrow and selfish politics necessary? The government should fulfill its national duty. Congress and BJP etc. have done a lot of politics under the guise of temple-mosque, caste, religion and communal frenzy etc. and have also taken a lot of electoral advantage of it, but now is the time to prove true patriotism by focusing on the reservation ending in the country and poverty, unemployment, inflation, backwardness etc.”
She further wrote, “In view of the doubts, apprehensions and objections that have come up regarding the Waqf (Amendment) Bill presented in Parliament today, it is appropriate to send this bill to the Standing Committee of the House for better consideration. If the government is in a hurry on such sensitive issues, then it is not right to do so. It would be better if you don’t do it.”
