Congress MLA Arif Masood Criticizes BJP's Waqf Amendment Bill
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Synopsis
Congress MLA Arif Masood criticizes the BJP-led Union government's insistence on the Waqf Amendment Bill, claiming it is unnecessary and that the Muslim community will resist its implementation. He highlights the need for amendments suggested by opposition members.
Key Takeaways
- Arif Masood opposes the Waqf Amendment Bill.
- Claims no need for the bill as proposed by BJP.
- Opposition parties suggest amendments ignored by the committee.
- Protests organized by All India Muslim Personal Law Board.
- Concerns over inaccurate Waqf Board property data.
Bhopal, March 18 (NationPress) Congress MLA from Bhopal Central constituency, Arif Masood, stated on Tuesday that the Waqf Amendment Bill is unnecessary and that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Union government is attempting to enforce it unjustifiably.
Masood asserted that members of the Opposition in the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) have recommended amendments to several aspects of the Waqf Amendment Bill-2024, yet the committee has ignored their suggestions.
During a media interaction, Masood, who is a three-time MLA from Bhopal Central, emphasized that the proposed Bill does not pertain to the property of the Waqf Board, and the Muslim community will resist its implementation.
Previously, Masood had criticized the Madhya Pradesh government's stance, stating: The BJP government is attempting to enforce the Waqf Amendment Bill, which is entirely irrelevant. The Muslim community opposes this Bill and will persist in their opposition, he mentioned during a press conference in the Assembly on Tuesday.
Importantly, the Congress party, along with other opposition factions such as the Trinamool Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party, has rallied behind a protest against the Waqf Amendment Bill-2024 organized by the All India Muslim Personal Law Board in New Delhi on Monday.
Earlier, Masood had also condemned the survey of Waqf Board's properties in the state, claiming that the Madhya Pradesh government has provided inaccurate data, which could lead to disputes among stakeholders in the future.
He had also corresponded with JPC Chairman Jagdambika Pal to voice his objections regarding the survey, despite the Madhya Pradesh Waqf Board's Chairman, Sanwar Patel, asserting that the survey is being conducted to make the Waqf properties free from encroachment.
Patel informed IANS that there are approximately 14,986 properties of the Waqf Board in Madhya Pradesh, with up to 90 percent of them having been illegally encroached upon.
