Clarion India
NEW DELHI – AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday tore a copy of the Waqf bill to strongly oppose the amendment in the Lok Sabha, terming it an “attack on the faith and religious practices of Muslims.”
Owaisi symbolically ‘tore’ the bill, likening his act to Mahatma Gandhi’s defiance of unjust laws.
“This Waqf Amendment Bill is an attack on the faith and worship of Muslims,” Owaisi said during the debate, arguing that the legislation undermines the rights of the community.
Raising constitutional concerns, Owaisi cited Article 14, which guarantees equal protection under the law. “A Muslim will face restrictions on waqf property, and the encroacher will overnight become the owner. A non-Muslim will administer it—this is a violation of Article 14,” he said.
https://twitter.com/asadowaisi/status/1907494196317138954
He further questioned the rationale behind the bill, recalling Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s assurances. “Amit Shah said the board and council will not interfere with the religious practices of Muslims. If this is true, then what was the need to bring in the legislation? You could have created a non-statutory body,” Owaisi said.
The Hyderabad MP also pointed out that the bill discriminates against Muslims by stripping them of administrative control over waqf properties. “Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists have been given the right to administer their religious groups. Then why are the rights being taken away from Muslims? This is a grave violation of Article 26,” he argued.
Owaisi argued that the bill disempowers the waqf board in comparison to other stakeholders. “Sir, this Bill takes any management from the hands of Muslims, disempowers the waqf in comparison to any other stakeholders, takes away the administration and hampers development… The progress of the development from pre-independence till today is sought to be destroyed,” he said.
In a sharp exchange, Owaisi questioned Union Minister Kiren Rijiju about the definition of ‘practising Muslims’ under the bill. “Would keeping a beard be one of the criteria or should he be clean shaved like you?” he quipped.
Accusing the BJP government of marginalising Muslims, Owaisi said, “This bill is to make Muslims second-class citizens.”
Drawing a parallel with Mahatma Gandhi’s defiance of unjust laws, he said, “When a law was introduced before Gandhiji that he could not accept, he said, ‘I do not recognise this law and I tear it apart.’ Just like Gandhiji, I am tearing this law apart.”
He then symbolically separated two stapled pages to register his protest.
“This is unconstitutional. The BJP wants to incite disharmony in the name of Mandir-Masjid,” Owaisi alleged.
