As the Budget Session of Parliament begins, the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, has emerged as a key point of contention, with Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde criticizing the opposition for opposing the bill.
Eknath Shinde Calls Opposition “Hypocritical”
Shinde slammed opposition MPs for their “double standards”, asserting that his government is upholding Balasaheb Thackeray’s legacy by supporting the bill.
🔹 “We are working to take forward the legacy of Balasaheb Thackeray and will continue to do so. The opposition has been rejected by the people for following a different agenda,” he said.
Opposition’s Resistance & Dissent Notes
Several opposition MPs submitted dissent notes against the bill, claiming that it was passed in a biased manner. The dissenting MPs include:
- Gaurav Gogoi (Congress)
- Asaduddin Owaisi (AIMIM)
- Kalyan Banerjee, Nadimul Haque (TMC)
- A Raja, M M Abdulla (DMK)
- Syed Naseer Hussain, Dr. Mohammad Jawed, Imran Masood (Congress)
Despite opposition objections, the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the bill adopted the draft report, which will be tabled during the Budget Session.
BJP & Shiv Sena Hit Back at Opposition
🔹 BJP MP Dr. Radha Mohan Das Agrawal criticized the opposition, saying “opposing the government is in their DNA.”
🔹 Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske accused Uddhav Thackeray’s faction of betraying Balasaheb Thackeray’s vision by objecting to the bill.
🔹 “The Waqf board should be cancelled, as Bala Saheb Thackeray always said. Instead, his so-called successor Uddhav Thackeray’s aide Arvind Sawant opposed all 44 provisions of the bill,” Mhaske said.
🔹 He thanked Sharad Pawar for supporting the bill and accused the opposition of misleading the public by calling it “anti-Muslim.”
Why is the Waqf (Amendment) Bill Controversial?
The Waqf Act of 1995 was originally enacted to regulate Waqf properties, but has been criticized for corruption, mismanagement, and illegal encroachments.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, aims to:
✔️ Digitize Waqf records
✔️ Enhance audits for transparency
✔️ Provide legal mechanisms to reclaim encroached properties
Opposition leaders claim the bill weakens community control over Waqf properties and grants excessive powers to the government.
Parliamentary Battle Ahead
With the Budget Session running until April 4, the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 is set to be a key flashpoint between the BJP-led NDA and opposition parties.