Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav and Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke in the Lok Sabha today. (PTI photo)
In a heated debate in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, Akhilesh Yadav said that Speaker Om Birla’s rights were being violated.
In a heated debate in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav said Speaker Om Birla’s rights were being violated, prompting a strong response from Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
During the discussion on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, Yadav criticized the Bill, asserting, “This Bill, which was introduced, is the result of a well-thought-out political strategy. Mr. Speaker, I heard in the lobby that some of your rights will be taken away and we have to fight for you… I oppose this bill.
#WATCH | Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav speaking in Lok Sabha on Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 “Yeh bill jo introduce ho raha hai woh bahut sochi samjhi rajneeti ke tehat ho raha hai…Speaker sir, I heard in the lobby that some of your rights will also be taken and… pic.twitter.com/sy7PRW6I04
— ANI (@ANI) August 8, 2024
In response, Shah reacted swiftly, stating, “Akhilesh ji, you cannot speak in such a vague manner. You are not the protector of Speaker’s rights.
‘BJP works like a real estate company’
Yadav, who was earlier the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, accused the BJP of using the Waqf (Amendment) Bill as a cover for land deals that benefited its members.
“BJP works like a real estate company. It should change its name by adding ‘Zameen’ instead of ‘Janta’: Bhartiya Zameen Party,” he shared in a Hindi post on ‘X’.
All these amendments of the ‘Waqf Board’ are just an excuse, like defense land, railway land, defense land, rail land, land land, and the ‘Bajpai’en ke lavarth yojana’ is only a series of ‘Bajpai’en ke lavarth yojna’. Why does BJP not openly write: ‘भाजपाई-हित… pic.twitter.com/VwK3YyWAG5
— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) August 8, 2024
He also said that the Waqf Board land is just another part of a series of “schemes” designed to benefit the BJP, after the acquisition of land for Defence, Railways, and Nazul lands.
“Why didn’t the BJP openly write: ‘Issued in the interest of the BJP’,” asked the Samajwadi Party leader.
In addition, he asked for a “written guarantee” that the land of the Waqf Board would not be sold.
Misleading Muslim Opposition: Kiren Rijiju
Responding to objections raised by some opposition members on the bill in the Lok Sabha, Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju accused the Opposition of “misleading” Muslims.
“They (the Opposition) are misleading Muslims… Until last night, a Muslim delegation came to me… Many MPs told me that the mafia has taken over the Waqf site. Some MPs say they support the bill but they can’t say it because of their political parties…We have held a nationwide consultation on this bill,” Rijiju said.
Defending the amendment, he noted that a joint parliamentary committee had recommended a review of the 1995 Waqf Act.
The BJP leader said that the opposition’s resistance was politically motivated.
What about the Waqf (Amendment) Bill?
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill proposes significant changes to the existing Waqf law, with the aim of ensuring greater representation on Waqf boards, including Muslim and non-Muslim women. It also sought to change the name of the Waqf Act, 1995, to the Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and United Development Act, 1995.
The bill proposes to delete section 40 of the current law, which relates to the council’s authority over Waqf property decisions. These include provisions for the diverse composition of Central Waqf Boards and state Waqf boards, as well as the establishment of separate boards for Shias, Sunnis, Bohras, Agakhanis and other backward classes among the Muslim community.
(With input from agencies)
