The Lok Sabha witnessed a fiery debate on Thursday as the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, was introduced by Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs, Kiren Rijiju. The opposition parties united in their criticism of the bill, leading to a heated exchange between Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav.
Akhilesh Yadav strongly opposed the bill, calling it a "well-planned political move" aimed at appeasing the BJP's "disappointed, frustrated, and hardcore supporters." He warned that the bill would lead to a concentration of power in the hands of district magistrates, which could have far-reaching consequences. Yadav also mentioned that he had previously cautioned the Speaker that the BJP would eventually target their own rights, saying "today your rights are being curtailed, remember I told you that you are the judges of democracy, I have heard that some of your rights are also being taken away."
Amit Shah retorted, saying that 'Aap is tarah se gol mol baatein nahi kar saktein (you can't make vague statements like these) and that he was not the sole guardian of the Speaker's rights. Shah said that the Speaker's rights belonged to all members, not just the opposition.
Here's the video of the heated exhange:
#WATCH | Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav speaks in Lok Sabha on Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024
"Yeh bill jo introduce ho raha hai woh bahut sochi samjhi rajneeti ke tehat ho raha hai...Speaker sir, I heard in the lobby that some of your rights are also going to be taken away and… pic.twitter.com/sy7PRW6I04
— ANI (@ANI) August 8, 2024
Meanwhile, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati criticized the Centre for "interfering" in Muslim affairs, saying it was against the principles of secularism. She demanded that the bill be referred to a standing committee for further scrutiny, cautioning the government against rushing through sensitive legislation. Mayawati also questioned the need for the government to "interfere" in mosque, madrasa, and waqf matters, while showing "excessive interest" in temple and math affairs.
