Janata Dal (United), Telugu Desam Party, and other allies of the BJP warned that their support for the controversial and communally motivated bill would cost them heavily
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI – With the passage of the Waqf Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha the BJP and its allies have trampled on the principles of justice and the spirit of the Constitution, the All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat (AIMMM) has said.
Expressing deep concern over the passage of the legislation in the lower house of Parliament, Mushawarat chief advocate Feroze Ahmed said the Waqf bill contravenes the principles of religious freedom, equality, and justice enshrined in the Constitution. In a statement issued on Thursday, he said the bill also violates the fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 14, 25, and 26.
He further asserted that the bill is a direct interference in the autonomy of Waqf properties and their administration.
Particularly, he said, the removal of the requirement that Waqf Board members must be Muslims and the mandatory inclusion of two non-Muslims is an attempt to strip the Muslim community of its right to manage its religious and charitable institutions independently. “Similarly, the abolition of the provision requiring an expert in Islamic jurisprudence (Shariah) in the Waqf Tribunal is an extreme form of communal bias and will create serious challenges,” Ahmed said.
The Muslim body has appealed to justice-loving people across the country to take all possible measures to prevent the implementation of these amendments as their social and economic consequences including their impact on Waqf properties, are clear and undeniable.
The Mushawarat chief further stated that his organisation, along with its member bodies, other Muslim bodies, and secular parties and leaders, will launch a nationwide movement against the threats posed to Waqf properties.
He also accused the BJP of using Parliament to spread outright false and misleading propaganda and warned that its controlled media is fueling communal tensions against Muslims. “If this is not stopped, it will severely harm the country,” he warned.
Ahmed further alleged that the BJP is trying to mislead Muslims and create internal divisions by falsely claiming that this bill is intended for the welfare of the backward sections of the Muslim community. He warned parties such as the Janata Dal (United), Telugu Desam Party, and other allies of the BJP that supporting this controversial and communally motivated bill would cost them heavily.
