Gaurav Gogoi counters Rijiju, says, Waqf Amendment is 'attack' on Constitution

New Delhi, April 2 (IANS) Congress Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi on Wednesday strongly opposed the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, calling it an "attack" on Parliament and the Constitution. 
 

He also alleged that the government had four "key objectives" behind the bill, which he claimed "targeted" the Muslim community.

During the discussion in the Lok Sabha, Gogoi dismissed the allegations made by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju regarding the 2013 amendments to the Waqf Act under the UPA government.

"Whatever he said concerning the 2013 UPA government is a complete lie and misleading. We demand that he authenticate his claims. They repeatedly accuse us, spread rumours, and tell lies," he said.

Earlier in the day, Rijiju had slammed the UPA government for bringing provisions that allowed any person --Hindu, Muslim, Christian, or Buddhist -- to create Waqf property, despite Waqf being specifically meant for Muslims. He had also objected to Section 108 of the Waqf Act, which states that Waqf Board provisions override any other law in the country.

Countering Rijiju's remarks, Gogoi said, "This bill is an attack on the foundation of Parliament. It is an attack on the Constitution."

He alleged that the government had four main objectives in pushing the amendment -- "to dilute the Constitution, to defame the minority communities of India, to divide Indian society, and to disenfranchise the minority community."

Questioning the timing of the amendment, Gogoi stated that until September 2023, the Ministry of Minority Affairs had not recommended any changes to the Waqf law, "then who created this law thereafter?"

He accused the BJP-led government of restricting religious freedoms, claiming that people were not allowed to offer Namaz freely on Eid.

He also questioned the representation of minorities in the NDA, asking, "How many minority MPs does the NDA have in Parliament?"

Criticising Rijiju's claim that extensive discussions had been held before the bill was introduced, Gogoi said, "All this is completely misleading."

He further argued that the government's actions could extend beyond the Muslim community.

"Today, they are targeting the land of one community. Tomorrow, they will target another," he warned.

While acknowledging the need for amendments, he stressed that they should strengthen the bill rather than create divisions.

"Amendments are required; I am not saying they are not. But the amendments must strengthen the bill. They should not create a divide," he said.

He also alleged that none of the Opposition's suggestions were accepted by the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC).

Responding to Rijiju's remarks about the Waqf Act overriding other laws, Gogoi pointed out that similar provisions exist in state laws across India.

"There are many states, including Telangana and Tamil Nadu, where this overriding principle is part of several state acts," he said.

"The entire INDIA bloc is against this Bill," he concluded.