New Delhi:
Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Friday accused the Congress and other opposition parties of intimidating the Muslim community with the Waqf Bill and said that the central government worked with the motto of ‘Saba Sixty, Saba Vikas’.
Participating in a discussion on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in the Rajya Sabha, Mr. Rijiju said that the Waqf Board is a legal body and like, like all government bodies, it should be secular.
He said that the inclusion of some non-Muslims on the Waqf board will not change the decisions of the body and the price will be provided instead.
The minister also claimed that the bill brought by the government has included several suggestions made by the Joint Parliamentary Committee as well as stakeholders.
The minister said, “The Waqf Board is a statutory body. All government bodies must be secular,” about the inclusion of non-Muslims on the board.
However, he said that the number of non-Muslims is limited to only four out of 22 in the Central Waqf Council.
Alleging that the Congress and other opposition parties, and not the BJP, are trying to intimidate Muslims with the Waqf Bill, Mr. Rijiju said, “You (protests) are pushing Muslims out of the mainstream.” For 60 years, he said, Congress and others ruled the country, but did not do much for the welfare of Muslims, who remain poor.
The minister said, “Muslims are poor, and who is responsible? You are. Modi is now leading the government to uplift,” the minister said.
Given that the majority would be strong in democracy, the minister said that JPC made recommendations on the basis of majority.
The minister also warned the parties along with fewer members against reducing the law process. “The law of democracy is that the desire and desire of the majority is strong,” he said.
Mr. Rijiju said that opposition members want only Muslims to be on the Waqf panel, but it cannot happen because the disputes may emerge between two different communities.
In such a case, he wondered how only Muslims decide the matter only.
While urging the members to approve the bill, the minister said that this is a historic bill.
He said, “We are showing wide mind and big heart, but do not mislead anymore … In future, no Muslim will be harmed. Millions of Muslims will benefit instead,” he said.
(Except for the headline, the story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is published by a syndicated feed.)
