Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Tuesday retorted at AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi over his remarks on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, saying that the Waqf Board will operate strictly as per the law.
His response came in the wake of Owaisi warning the Centre in the Lok Sabha against enacting the bill in its current form, as it would contravene Articles 25, 26, and 14 of the Constitution and could bring about "social instability."
Reacting to Owaisi's statement, Giriraj Singh said that India operates under the rule of law, irrespective of religion.
"This is India's Constitution. It does not belong to any one person or community. Owaisi should not be under any illusion -- India is governed by the rule of law, and Narendra Modi is the Prime Minister. The country will run according to the law," Singh told IANS.
Reiterating the government's stand, Singh said, "No matter if one is Hindu or Muslim, no one is above the law. The days of instilling fear in people's minds are over. The Waqf Board will only function as per legal provisions."
Meanwhile, in his speech on Monday, Owaisi said, "I am cautioning and warning this government -- if you bring and implement the present form of the Waqf law in the present form which will be violating Articles 25, 26, and 14, then it will bring social instability to the country. The entire Muslim community has rejected it."
Criticizing the proposed amendments, he further said, "No Waqf property will be left, nothing will be left. You want to make India 'Viksit Bharat', we want 'Viksit Bharat'. You want to take this country back to the '80s and early '90s, it will be your responsibility. As a proud Indian Muslim, I will not lose an inch of my Masjid; I will not lose an inch of my Dargah. I will not allow that."
"We will no more come and give a diplomatic talk over here. This is the House where I have to stand and speak honestly, that my community; which we are proud Indians. It is my property, not given by anyone. You cannot snatch it away from me. Waqf is a form of worship for me," he had said.
In a related development, opposition MPs Kalyan Banerjee and Md Nadimul Haque raised their concerns on Monday over the alleged removal of key portions of their dissent notes from the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) report on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill.
They wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla claiming that their objections were expunged without prior notice or explanation.
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