All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi has strongly opposed the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024, alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi lacks a majority in the Lok Sabha and is dependent on the support of Chandrababu Naidu and Nitish Kumar to push the bill through.
Speaking to ANI, Owaisi accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah of misleading the public regarding the bill. He claimed that the proposed amendment violates constitutional provisions and would have adverse effects on Waqf properties across the country.
“Amit Shah, as the Home Minister of India, is attempting to pass an unconstitutional law that can be challenged in court. This bill violates the Constitution, and if implemented, it will harm Waqf institutions nationwide. The removal of Waqf property provisions raises concerns about who will benefit from it. The government is omitting revenue worth lakhs of rupees, and Amit Shah is misleading the country by claiming that the Waqf Tribunal’s decisions can be challenged in court. Narendra Modi is relying on the crutches of Nitish Kumar and Chandrababu Naidu, and if they refuse to support this unconstitutional bill, it will not be passed,” Owaisi said.
Owaisi also participated in a ‘black band’ protest against the bill on Friday. As a member of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf Bill, he symbolically opposed the legislation by wearing a black armband while offering prayers.
Meanwhile, Amit Shah defended the bill, stating that it aims to rectify provisions introduced in the 2013 Waqf Act, which he claimed were not in line with the Constitution. He reassured that there is no reason for fear regarding the bill and confirmed that the report by the JPC will be presented during the ongoing Budget session, set to conclude on April 4.
Reacting to Owaisi’s protest, Shah remarked that everyone has the right to express opposition. “Some express it through their attire, some through their words. In Parliament, opposition should be expressed through logic,” he said.
