Mamata dubs Waqf Bill ‘anti-secular’, says it threatens Muslim rights

Kolkata: Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday termed the Waqf Bill ‘anti-secular’ and said it would ‘snatch the rights of the Muslims’.

She further reiterated that the Bill had been introduced without holding any discussions with the states.

“There has been no discussion by the Central government with our state. The Waqf Board or Waqf property has existed since British rule. We have not formulated the Waqf Act. The main Act dates back to 1935. The Centre has brought an amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha. If it is converted to legislation, the entire Waqf system in the country will suffer destruction. It is our standpoint,” Banerjee said addressing a query from party legislator Mosharraf Hossain.

Elucidating further, Banerjee said that there is a Waqf Board at the Centre as well as in the state.

“All of them are quasi-judicial bodies, we have learnt about the Bill being introduced from media reports,” she maintained.

The TMC chairperson said that her party MPs were among the first who had been vocal against the Bill forcing the Centre to form a joint Parliamentary committee (JPC).

“Later all Opposition parties boycotted the Bill following which there have been some unpleasant incidents. This has led to the cancellation of the JPC visit and it has been stated that it will be introduced during the Budget session in March 2025,” said Banerjee.

Terming the Bill as a deliberate attempt to ignore a particular section of people, Banerjee said: “The country celebrated 75 years of the Indian Constitution on November 26. India is a secular, democratic country. Unity in diversity is our country’s strength. The right to independence of religion in para 26 and the right to equality in para 14 has been flouted. Para 18 and 35 in the state list of the Constitution says that the state has the right to frame legislation on land issues and hence it is under the state’s jurisdiction. The Centre cannot come up with an Act that demeans the right of the state. The rights of the Assembly have also been thwarted through this,” said Banerjee.

She expressed her astonishment over the Centre putting up a notification in the newspaper.

“I have seen the notification of the Central government and opinion from the state has not been sought. This is a very important and sensitive matter, but it has been done intentionally to demean a particular section of people.

Reacting to allegations of encroachment upon Waqf properties, Banerjee alluded to the recent verdict of the Supreme Court and said that she cannot bulldoze people who have indiscriminately encroached on Waqf properties.

She maintained that the Waqf Board has taken measures for the reclamation of several Waqf properties following directions of the Waqf tribunal.

West Bengal Jamiat-E-Ulma held a rally at Esplanade in Kolkata on Thursday in protest against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024.

Siddiqullah Chowdhury, president of the West Bengal Jamiat-e-Ulama claimed that the Centre has directly attacked the Constitution by introducing the Waqf Bill.The top court previously flagged the Delhi government’s failure in enforcing anti-pollution GRAP-4 restrictions relating to entry of trucks in the national Capital and directed immediate setting up of check posts at 113 entry points.