Gaurav Gogoi to Head Congress Opposition to Waqf Amendment Bill

GUWAHATI: The row over the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, will intensify in Lok Sabha on Wednesday with Congress Deputy Leader Gaurav Gogoi spearheading the opposition attack on the bill.

Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju will move the bill, facing stiff opposition from Congress and other opposition parties, who have branded it "unconstitutional" and accused the BJP of trying to "take away" the rights of Muslims.

Gogoi attacked the government's approach to the bill, contending that a clause-by-clause debate, which ought to have been held in the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), was skipped.

He also accused the law of being against constitutional values and minority rights, saying it could upset communal harmony. "The government's strategy from day one has been to bring in laws against the Constitution and minorities, posing a threat to peace in the country," he said.

Joining the protest of the opposition, Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi protested outside Parliament, dressed in black and carrying a placard which read, "Reject Waqf Bill." His protest also brought to light concerns that the proposed amendments weaken the autonomy of Waqf properties and disregard the Muslim community's objections.

In the meantime, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju justified the bill, calling the opposition's criticism as political. Speaking to the media, he had termed the day "historic" and stated that the bill was brought in the national interest. "Not just crores of Muslims but the whole country will endorse it. Those raising objections are doing so for political reasons. I will place the facts before the House, and if anybody objects, he should do so on logical grounds—whatever be our reply," he stated.

Rijiju emphasized that the bill was brought forward after careful deliberation, reflecting the government's confidence in its objectives. "When we introduce such a bill, it is after thorough thought and preparation," he added.

With the bill to be tabled today, the BJP and Congress have also issued whips to their MPs for full attendance in the House. With the atmosphere tense between the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the opposition INDIA bloc, numerical strength is likely to decide the outcome of the debate as attempts at bipartisan consensus are lacking.

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