Deputy Leader of the Congress Gogoi stated that the Bill undermined constitutional values and targeted minority communities.
Published Apr 02, 2025 | 5:11 PM ⚊ Updated Apr 02, 2025 | 5:15 PM
Deputy Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi.
Synopsis: The Lok Sabha is debating the Waqf (Amendment) Bill on Wednesday.
Opposing the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, Deputy Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi questioned the government on Wednesday, 2 April, over the need for proof of Islam in Waqf-related matters.
Speaking during the debate on the Bill, Gogoi said the government was attempting to dilute the Constitution. He further stated that the Bill undermined constitutional values and targeted minority communities.
“This Bill is an attack on the basic structure of the constitution. The government wants to dilute the Constitution, defame minority communities, divide Indian society, and disenfranchise minorities,” he said.
The Congress leader from Assam also reminded the Centre that its “double-engine governments prevented people from performing namaz on roads.
Move to cover up failures
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said the Bill was a veil covering the government’s failures. “They had similarly come up with demonetisation after great preparation,” he taunted the BJP-led government. “Let’s discuss that too,” he added.
Yadav said the government had failed in addressing issues such as price rise, unemployment and farmers’ income. “Have Ganga and Yamuna been cleaned up? Have smart cities come up,” he asked while asserting that the Waqf Bill was a veil to cover up the government’s failures.
Participating in the debate, BJP’s Ravi Shankar Prasad said the country belonged to Muslims as much as it is to the Hindus.
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Earlier, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju tabled the Bill rechristened as the Unified Waqf Management Empowerment, Efficiency and Development (UMEED) Bill. He refuted claimed that the Bill would lead to the government usurping Masjids and Dargahs.
Speaking in the House, Home Minister Amit Shah said the Bill was sent to a Joint Parliamentary Committee as desired by the Opposition. “Our committees use their brain, unlike committees during the Congress rule that just gave their stamp of approval,” he said.
NK Premachandran of the RSP said the committee had no right to make amendments to the Bill. Speaker Om Birla replied that the committee had the right and it could even change the name of a Bill.
