Congress MP Imran Masood, a member of the Waqf Amendment Bill JPC, has launched a sharp attack on Syed Naseruddin Chishty, Chairman of the All India Sufi Sajjadanashin Council (AISSC), for supporting the Waqf Amendment Bill. Accusing Chishty of siding with the BJP, Masood said, “Yeh dalaali band kare BJP ki” (Stop brokering for BJP).
On Monday, Syed Naseruddin Chishty defended the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, urging the Muslim community to not be misled by “emotional and provocative statements.” He stressed that the bill, officially known as ‘Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development (UMEED) Bill’, aims to improve transparency, digitization, audits, and reclaim illegally occupied Waqf properties.
“The JPC has patiently heard all concerns and sent its report to the government. Hopefully, the final bill will be beneficial. The current Waqf Act needs changes, and there’s no reason to fear. We should trust official statements rather than being emotionally provoked,” Chishty stated.
Congress has fiercely opposed the bill, with Imran Masood calling it “unconstitutional” and accusing the BJP government of silencing the opposition.
“The bill bulldozes our constitutional rights. There is no real debate—our mics are turned off as soon as we start speaking. In the entire session, I was only allowed to speak for 55 seconds,” Masood told ANI.
Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, also echoed this concern, claiming he is “never allowed to speak” in Parliament.
Congress MP Jairam Ramesh and Rajeev Shukla also criticized the BJP for stifling debate. Shukla pointed out that even BJP MPs were unaware why Rahul Gandhi was stopped from speaking in Parliament, questioning the fairness of the process.
As tensions rise over the Waqf Amendment Bill, the opposition continues to accuse the BJP of curbing democratic discussions, while the ruling party pushes forward with its proposed reforms.