Kiren Rijiju tables Waqf (Amendment) Bill in Rajya Sabha; discussions begin

The Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha by a division of votes, with 288 in favour and 232 against

After a 12-hour long debate before getting a passage in Lok Sabha, Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju tabled the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

 

The contentious Bill seeks to bring reforms to the management of Waqf properties in India.

 

The Bill was passed in the lower house after all amendments proposed by Opposition members were rejected through voice votes. It was subsequently cleared by a division of votes, with 288 in favour and 232 against.

 

Rijiju urges Opposition to support Waqf Bill

 

While introducing the Bill in Rajya Sabha, Rijiju said that it aims to accomplish unfulfilled tasks of previous governments and urged the Opposition's support in passing the Bill.

 

 

He further added, "As of today, there are 8.72 lakh Waqf properties…In 2006, if the Sachar committee had estimated the earnings from 4.9 lakh Waqf properties at Rs 12,000 crore, then you can imagine the income these properties must be generating now.”

 

The Opposition has been criticising the Bill alleging that it interferes with the religious rights of Muslims.

 

"We don't want to hurt anyone's religious feeling," Minority Affairs Minister Rijiju said today while tabling the Bill in the Upper House of the Parliament.

 

He reassured the House that the Waqf board will have representation from all sects of Muslims.

 

"Out of a total of 22 members in the proposed Central Waqf Board, no more than four will be non-Muslims. In State Waqf Boards, of 11 members, not more than three will be non-Muslim," he said.

 

The legislation proposes several changes to the Waqf Act of 1995. It seeks to change the structure of Waqf tribunals for quicker dispute resolution, update the selection process for Waqf boards, and mandate audits for Waqf institutions earning over ₹1 lakh annually, among other changes.

 

 

MPs debate Waqf Bill

 

The lower house saw a heated debate on the legislation with Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi alleging, "The Bill aims to dilute the Constitution, defame minority communities, divide Indian society, and disenfranchise minorities.”

 

Meanwhile, the government argued that the Bill would bring in greater transparency, making it easier for people to access information about the Waqf assets in their region.