Congress Criticizes Waqf Bill as a Threat to Constitution and Social Cohesion
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Synopsis
The Congress party criticizes the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, deeming it a constitutional assault and a tactic by the BJP to undermine social harmony. Key concerns include dilution of rights and power shifts in waqf administration.
Key Takeaways
- The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 is viewed as a threat to constitutional rights.
- Accusations of BJP's strategy to harm social cohesion.
- Concerns over reduced authority of waqf institutions.
- Introduction of ambiguities regarding land donation for waqf.
- Enhanced powers for state officers regarding waqf properties.
New Delhi, March 23 (NationPress) The Congress party has labeled the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 as an assault on the Constitution, claiming that the proposed legislation is a component of the BJP's plan to undermine the long-standing ties of social harmony.
In a comprehensive statement released on Sunday, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh accused the BJP of vilifying minority groups.
"The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 is part of the BJP’s ongoing strategy to disrupt the age-old connections of social harmony within our diverse multi-religious society; to demonize minority communities through the dissemination of false narratives and fostering prejudices; and to tarnish the traditions and institutions of these communities to maintain a state of continuous polarization for electoral advantages," the statement asserted.
The Congress party claimed that the BJP is diluting constitutional protections that ensure equal rights for all citizens, irrespective of their religion.
The statement outlined five key points demonstrating that the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 is fundamentally flawed.
These five concerns include: The reduction in stature, composition, and authority of all institutions established by prior laws to manage waqfs (national council, state boards, and tribunals), which deliberately undermines the community's right to manage its own religious practices and affairs.
Introduction of deliberate ambiguity regarding who is eligible to donate land for waqf purposes, thereby altering the very essence of waqf.
The judicially developed waqf-by-user concept, based on long-standing customary practices, is being abolished.
Provisions within the existing law are being removed without justification, simply to weaken waqf administration. New protections are now being introduced to safeguard those who have encroached on waqf lands.
Significant powers have been granted to the Collector and other appointed state officials concerning disputes over waqf properties and their registration. State officers will now have the authority to derecognize any waqf based on a complaint or mere allegation of the property being government-owned until a final ruling is reached.
The Congress also criticized the JPC for not conducting a detailed clause-by-clause review of the bill.
"It is worth noting that a 428-page report was hastily pushed through the JPC without any thorough clause-by-clause examination, violating parliamentary norms. Most importantly, the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 represents an assault on the Constitution of India itself," the statement concluded.
