The Lok Sabha has passed the Waqf Amendment Bill after voting, with 288 members supporting it and 232 opposing it. Speaker Om Birla announced the results, marking a significant development in the legislative process.
Before the vote, Union Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju criticized the opposition, stating, “There is no place safer for minorities than India. When issues arose in China-Tibet in 1959, people came here. Similarly, people from Myanmar and Bangladesh have also sought refuge in India.” He further asserted that the bill is “completely constitutional” and aims to bring all Muslims together.
Rijiju also responded to opposition concerns, saying, “If someone claims that a piece of land belongs to the Waqf Board, they should provide proof. Allegations should not be made without justification.”
Jagdambika Pal, chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf Bill, informed the House that the government accepted all JPC recommendations. He stated, “The government has a majority and could have passed the bill directly but chose to follow due process. The Waqf system has violated constitutional norms.”
AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi opposed the bill and even tore a copy of it during the session. In response, the JPC chairman remarked, “By doing this, he acted unconstitutionally. How exactly is the Waqf Amendment Bill unconstitutional?”
The passage of the bill has sparked strong political debates, with reactions pouring in from various quarters.
