Kiren Rijiju moves Waqf Amendment Bill, 2024 in Lok Sabha; ‘attack’ on freedom of religion, federalism, says INDIA bloc

Union Minority Minister Kiren Rijiju moved the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, in the Lok Sabha on August 8. The bill proposes to amend the Waqf Act, 1995, and seeks to ‘effectively’ address issues related to the powers of the State Waqf Boards, Central Waqf Coucil, registration and survey of Waqf properties, and removal of encroachments.

Attack on Freedom of Religion

Opposition parties in the INDIA bloc, including the Congress, the Samajwadi Party (SP), the DMK and NCP (SCP), opposed the bill. Supriya Sule of the NCP (SCP) requested Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to either withdraw the bill or send it for scrutiny to a House committee.

The main points that the INDIA bloc members oppose include giving powers to the district collector and bringing non-Muslims on board the state waqf boards (SWBs) and central waqf council(CWC). 

Soon after the Minister moved the bill, Congress Member of Parliament (MP) KC Venugopal called it an attack on religious freedom. Venugopal said this bill is a fundamental attack on the Constitution. “Through this bill, they are putting a provision that non-Muslims also be members of the Waqf governing council. It is a direct attack on freedom of religion. Next, you will go for Christians, then Jains…People of India will not buy this kind of divisive politics now.

‘Not Against Muslims’

Rajiv Ranjan of the Janata Dal (United) countered Venugopal’s comments saying that the bill intends to bring in transparency in Waqf Board management and doesn’t target any particular individual religion. 

“How is it against Muslims? This law is being made to bring transparency…The opposition is comparing it with temples, they are diverting from the main issue. KC Venugopal (Congress) should explain how thousands of Sikhs were killed…which taxi driver killed Indira Gandhi? Now, they are talking about minorities,” Lallan Singh said. 

With over 40 amendments, the new bill proposes to revoke several clauses in the existing Waqf Act, 1995 – the law governing Waqf boards. Among other changes, the bill pitches for far-reaching changes in the present Act, including ensuring the representation of Muslim women and non-Muslims in central and state Waqf bodies.

‘Violation of Article 30’

The bill proposes that the Central Waqf Council and state Waqf Boards must have at least two women on the boards and at least two non-Muslim members appointed by the state government to the waqf boards at the state level.

Opposing the bill, DMK MP Kanimozhi said it is a direct violation of Article 30 which deals with minorities to administer their institutions. This bill targets a particular religious group.

Later, the Union Minister defended the bill requested the Congress leaders to support it. “With this bill, there is no interference in the freedom of any religious body….Forget about taking anyone’s rights, this bill has been brought to give rights to those who never got them,” Rijiju said.