Congress holds meeting of MPs, discusses several issues including Waqf Amendment Bill, Bangladesh crisis

New Delhi [India], August 8 (ANI): Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, along with the other MPs of the party attended the meeting of Congress Lok Sabha MPs on Thursday. The meeting was conducted in the Parliament House Annexe in Delhi today.

Notably, the meeting was called ahead of the introduction of the Waqf Amendment Bill in the Parliament on which Congress and other parties of the INDIA alliance showed their opposition.

Furthermore, the meeting was also called to discuss various ongoing issues including the Bangladesh crisis, China issues and judgements of the Supreme Court.

LoP Rahul Gandhi was spotted arriving with Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, Manickram Tagore and other MPs of the party.

Speaking with ANI, Deputy Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi said, “Today we had a meeting of Lok Sabha members of the party in which the LoP Rahul Gandhi was also present. We discussed different issues – be it the Bangladesh issue, regarding China, judgements of the Supreme Court and today’s business of the Parliament. It was a positive discussion and he encouraged us all to raise the issues of the people… Different parties have opposed the introduction of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in the House. When it will be brought into the business, we will clear our stand on why we are opposing the bill.”

Earlier in the day, ahead of the introduction of the Waqf Amendment Bill in Parliament today, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala slammed the opposition and said that the leaders of the INDI alliance people are trying to oppose the pro-transparency and pro-good-governance bill.

Adding further, Poonawala said that the opposition to the Waqf Amendment Bill by leaders of the INDI alliance shows that they are not pro-Muslim instead they are pro-land grabbers.

Meanwhile, lashing out at the BJP-led NDA government on the Waqf Act Amendment Bill, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday said that in the disguise of amendments, BJP is trying to sell the lands of Waqf Board and instead of ‘Janata’ in BJP, they should add ‘Zameen’ in it.

Hitting out at the BJP, Yadav alleged that the amendments in the Waqf Bill were issued in the interest of the BJP and it’s just another link in the chain of the schemes that benefit BJP.

SP chief further demanded for a “written guarantee” that Waqf Board’s lands would not be sold.

Congress Lok Sabha MP KC Venugopal submitted a notice to oppose the introduction of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 in the Lok Sabha. Congress MP Hibi Eden also gave notice to oppose the bill. The Samajwadi Party will also oppose the Waqf Bill in Parliament.

Notably, the BJP-led government is slated to introduce the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 in the Lok Sabha on Thursday to amend the Waqf Act, 1995. The bill seeks to “effectively address issues” related to the powers of the State Waqf Boards, registration and survey of waqf properties and removal of encroachments. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 is listed for introduction by Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju in Lok Sabha.

Apart from introducing the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, Kiren Rijiju will also introduce The Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill, 2024 which seeks to repeal the Mussalman Wakf Act, 1923. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, Waqf Act provides for the renaming of the Waqf Act, 1995, as the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Act, 1995. It seeks to clearly define “waqf” as waqf by any person practising Islam for at least five years and having ownership of such property and ensure that the creation of Waqf-alal-aulad does not lead to the denial of inheritance rights to women.