'Dilute, defame, divide & disenfranchise': Opposition's 4D attack on Centre over Waqf Amendment Bill

NEW DELHI: The opposition strongly critiqued the Waqf Amendment Bill tabled in Lok Sabha on Wednesday, calling it the Centre's efforts to "dilute, defame, divide & disenfranchise" the minority community.
"This bill is not just about administrative changes; it is a deliberate effort to dilute the Constitution, defame minority communities, divide Indian society, and ultimately disenfranchise minorities," said Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, who opened the argument on behalf of his party.
"Today, they have their eyes on one community's land; tomorrow, it will be another's," he added.
He further accused the minority affairs minister Kiren Rijiju, who tabled the bill, of misleading the House, regarding his claims on previous UPA government.
Rijiju, in his address, talked about the changes made by the previous UPA government and how it had given the legislation an overriding effect over other statutes, necessitating the new revisions.
"The government is not going to interfere in any religious institution. The changes made in the Waqf law by the UPA government gave it overriding effect over other statutes, hence the new amendments were required,. You tried to mislead the people on issues which are not part of the Waqf Bill," Rijiju had said.
Additionally, Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav termed it a tactic by BJP to "cover up its shortcomings".
“BJP repeatedly brings such bills to hide its failures. We have seen what administrative officers were doing in Sambhal... To cover up its shortcomings, BJP keeps introducing such bills. This time, the Waqf Bill is being used as a smokescreen for their failures,” he said.

The proposed bill restores pre-2013 rules, allowing only practicing Muslims (for at least five years) to dedicate property to Waqf. It also ensures women receive their inheritance before Waqf declaration, with special provisions for widows, divorced women, and orphans.
Additionally, an officer above the rank of collector will investigate government properties claimed as Waqf, with the final decision on ownership shifting from Waqf tribunals to senior government officials.