Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], April 2 : Congress' Senior leader Harish Rawat on Wednesday criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party over the Waqf Amendment Bill, calling it a "part of the party's agenda of polarization."
Speaking with ANI, Rawat said, "Earlier also when amendments were made in the bill, questions were raised and we resolved them through discussions but you (government) are not resolving them...It seems that this is also a part of the BJP's agenda of polarization."
Additionally, Congress MP Karti Chidambaram urged the government not to pass the law, noting the "sensitivities" of people associated with the waqf board.
"This is a matter of faith and it is a matter of practising religion and it is a property donated voluntarily for a religious purpose. The government should be aware of the sensitivities, respect the sensitivities and take people along and not pass the law just because they have a majority in the House," Chidambaram said.
He also added that the BJP is bringing the bill to "send a signal" to their core voters.
"They want to send a signal to their core vote bank, which doesn't really understand the nuances of this bill or the background of this waqf land because they think waqf can claim any land. That is not the case...They are likely to get away because they have a majority," he said.
Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju introduced Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025 and the Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill, 2024, for consideration and passing in the Lok Sabha.
The bill was earlier presented in the Lok Sabha on August of last year and a Joint Parliamentary Committee, headed by BJP member Jagdambika Pal, examined it.
The bill seeks to amend Act of 1995. The Bill seeks to improve the administration and management of waqf properties in India. It aims to overcome the shortcomings of the previous act and enhance the efficiency of Waqf boards, improving the registration process, and increasing the role of technology in managing waqf records.