Minority cell of TMC to hold protest rally against Waqf Bill
Kolkata: Following the instruction of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee, the minority cell of the party will hold a rally on Rani Rashmoni Road on November 30, opposing the Centre’s proposed Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024.
Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee during the meeting may illustrate the party’s stand on the proposed Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024. Senior party leaders Firhad Hakim, minority cell chairman and Itahar MLA Mosaraf Hossain will also attend the meeting. Hakim on Monday said: “The Centre has been trying to bring an “undemocratic” Bill in the Parliament. A protest has been going on across the country. Trinamool Congress is also carrying out protests. The minority cell is going to hold a protest rally on Saturday which we will be attending.”
Meanwhile, the Winter Session of the state Assembly is going to be crucial as the Mamata Banerjee government may bring a resolution opposing the Centre’s proposed Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024. The ruling Trinamool Congress had earlier opposed the Centre’s legislation relating to Waqf as it argued that it would be an attempt to infringe upon the state governments’ rights and also to marginalise minority communities. Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had also slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue.
One of the main purposes behind bringing a resolution in the Assembly is to safeguard the interests of minorities while maintaining state autonomy over Waqf matters, sources in Trinamool Congress said. Incidentally, Trinamool Congress MPs — Nadimul Haque and Kalyan Banerjee — recently held a press conference in the city alleging high-handedness and arbitrary actions by the chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill.
Besides Trinamool Congress, other Opposition parties have also been opposing the Central government’s Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, alleging that it will seek to centralise control over Waqf properties, undermining state rights and community autonomy.
