Any non-BJP govt will nullify Waqf (Amendment) Bill: Mamata

Kolkata, April 3 (IANS) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has asserted that any non-BJP government at the Centre in the future would nullify the Waqf (Amendment) Bill proposed by the current central government.

Addressing the media here on Thursday, Banerjee said, “We have repeatedly said that this Bill is designed to create division among people. Today, the BJP is in power, but it will not remain in power forever. Once a non-BJP government comes to the Centre, this amendment will be repealed in Parliament.”

This is the second time in two days that Banerjee has criticized the Union government over the Waqf (Amendment) Bill. On Wednesday also, she had accused the BJP of attempting to divide the people in the name of religion through this legislation.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has opposed the Bill from the beginning, citing two key concerns.

The first objection is the proposal to assign the district magistrates to survey the existing Waqf properties in the districts concerned. Trinamool Congress feels that such “bureaucratization” for the review of Waqf Property is simply unacceptable.

The second objection is the proposal for the takeover of those assets that have been verbally declared as Waqf properties. The Trinamool Congress claims that this is a deliberate attempt of the ruling party at the Centre to target the minority community.

In November last year, while addressing the winter session of the West Bengal Assembly, the Chief Minister had claimed that the said Bill would not only destabilize the Waqf system in the country but would also target a particular religion.

“This Bill is against one particular religion. This Bill is against the basic spirit of equality and the right to practice any religion. That is exactly why we are opposing the said Bill,” the Chief Minister said.

--IANS

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