Congress MP Reaches Parliament In Black Clothes To Protest Waqf Amendment Bill

The Waqf Amendment Bill will be introduced in Lok Sabha around noon today.

Congress MP Pratapgarhi carried a poster that read 'Reject Waqf Bill'.

Source : ANI

Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi arrived at the Parliament wearing black attire to protest against the Waqf Amendment Bill, which will be introduced in Lok Sabha around noon today. The opposition has planned a resistance to the bill, which they call "unconstitutional".

The Narendra Modi government has allocated eight hours for a discussion on the bill and is confident of it sailing through due to its majority. Amid opposition, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said the reforms were necessary as only an elite section in the Muslim community managed these properties.

What Is Waqf Amendment Bill?

The objective of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, is to amend the Waqf Act, 1995, to redress the issues and challenges in regulating and managing Waqf properties. The Amendment Bill seeks to improve the administration and management of waqf properties in India.

As per the government, the bill aims to overcome the shortcomings of the previous act and enhance the efficiency of Waqf boards by introducing changes such as renaming the Act, updating the definitions of waqf, improving the registration process, and increasing the role of technology in managing waqf records.

What Is The Controversy?

One of the key aspects of the bill is the change to ownership rules, which would impact historical mosques, dargahs and graveyards owned by the board. The proposed changes also include tweaks to the composition of waqf boards, making it compulsory to include non-Muslims as its members.

Many critics believe that the new bill may not address the community’s concerns but could instead considerably take away the role of Muslims in controlling waqf properties.