LIVE | Rajya Sabha passes Waqf Bill (128-95)

DMK MP Tiruchi Siva demands division of votes on his Amendment seeking scrapping of Clause allowing non Muslims on Waqf Boards. Lobbies being cleared for the voting process to commence.

Once a waqf, always a waqf, says Rijiju

Rijiju adds:

Never forget that once waqf is created, it cannot be undone. Once a waqf, always a waqf because it is declared for a pious, religious purpose and is irreversible. This is why it has to be done very carefully. Thousands of Muslims came to me and said that the Waqf Bill needs to be brought because a few people have captured Waqf properties all over India. Should I have kept quiet and done nothing?

You (Opposition) people say we have intimidated Muslims. No. It is you who are spreading fear. You did the same thing with CAA. You misled on CAA and never apologised, you are doing the same with waqf.

I don't wish to give a very detailed reply because it is too late and yesterday also we worked in Lok Sabha till 3AM. I will answer questions personally if needed but I urge everyone to support this Bill.

If Muslims are poor today, Congress is responsible: Rijiju

Minortiy Affairs minister Kiren Rijiju replies to the debate:

We are accused of not listening. If we had not listened, this Bill we are passing today would have been very different from the Bill we had introduced in the House (last August).

Now your (Opposition's) recommendations in the JPC may not have been accommodated in this Bill but then you did not have a majority in the JPC so what can we do? A democracy works as per majority but it can still not be said that we have not accepted any of your suggestions. Not applying this Bill retrospectively was also your suggestion and we have accepted it.

Some big lawyers came and spoke today. Mallikarjun Kharge also spoke. So I want to give them a reply to their issues.

Many people have been asking how you will decide who is a practicing Muslim for 5 years. I don't understand why such an issue is being made out of it. Right now, when you mention your religion, don't you write Hindu or Muslim or Christian and so on. It will be the same.

Again and again some people asked why we are so concerned about Muslims. Do you want the government not to work for Muslims? Is it only your right to work for Muslims? We are in government, we have to work for everyone and Modiji has said, sabka saath, sabka vikas. We have to work as per that.

The Congress ruled India for 70 years. If Muslims are poor today it is because of you and now Modiji has to work to correct that. You were exposing your failures all day.

Some people said waqf is religious and you can't interfere in it. No. It is not so. I have repeatedly explained that Waqf board is a statutory body and so there is no need to have only Muslims on it but even then we have restricted number of non-Muslims on boards, councils and tribunals.

George Kurian takes a dig at Rahul, Priyanka

George Kurian, MoS Minority Affairs:

Most Congress MPs from Kerala want to support our Bill but they can't because the Prince and Princess of Congress want to get elected from Wayanad and in Wayanad we know what flags are displayed. Those flags resemble flag of our neighbouring country, that is why they are only interested in breaking the country.

Two senior JD(U) leaders quit in protest

Two prominent Janata Dal (United) leaders have resigned from the party, led by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, in protest against its endorsement of the Waqf Amendment Bill. Senior JD(U) leader Mohammed Qasim Ansari expressed his dismay over the party’s alignment with the Centre on the Waqf issue.

Mohammad Ashraf Ansari, who headed the JD(U)’s minority wing, also quit.

Big row over Sudhanshu Trivedi's statement on Muslims

BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi said Muslims in India today ''find leadership in people like Ishrat Jahan, Yaqoob Memon, Dawood Ibrahim, Ateeq Ahmed and Mukhtar Ansari. Opposition has protested against Trivedi's brazen stigmatising of Muslims.

NCP-SP MP Dr. Fauzia Khan has taken strong objection to Trivedi's remarks, urging chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar to expunge the remark as it is against an entire community. Dhankhar, however, told Khan if she hears Trivedi's speech again, she will appreciate his comment.

In the pandemonium, MDMK's Vaiko tells Trivedi, "You come to Tamil Nadu, we will show you.''  

Nirmala Sitharaman wanted Vaiko's statement to be taken off record, and Dhankhar agreed..

Jairam Ramesh said the Chairman has agreed to strike off a statement against an individual on the request of the FM while he has not only allowed an entire community to be defamed but even appreciated the MP who made the objectionable statement.

Despite continued demands from the Opposition for Trivedi's statement to be removed from records, Dhankhar did order so while Amit Shah and Sitharaman defended  Trivedi's statement. 

AIADMK says it's always with minorities

In his brief intervention in the Waqf Bill discussion, AIADMK MP M. Thambidurai offered no clarity on his party's stand on the Bill. The senior AIADMK MP merely said that the AIADMK had always worked for the welfare of minorities and that the government should also stand with the AIADMK to protect the interests of Muslims.

Will support Bill fully, says JD-U

Sanjay Kumar Jha, JD-U:

When this Bill first came, we had some concerns especially on whether this Bill will affect Waqf properties retrospectively. After hearing the Minority Affairs minister and the Home Minister explain everything in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, our concerns have been addressed and we support this Bill fully.

For Muslim welfare? None will believe you: Kharge to Centre

What LoP Mallikarjun Kharge says:

Minorities across the country today are uneasy and agitated over what this Waqf Bill may do to them. This is because their is mistrust against you due to your track record.

You talk of Muslim welfare through this Bill. If you look at the Minority Affairs ministry in just the past 4 years, Rs, 18,000 crore was allocated, and you left over Rs 3,000 crore unspent. You couldn't even spend the money you were allocated for welfare of minorities. Your budget allocation itself has come down from Rs 4,700 crore a year in 2019-2020 to just around Rs 2,600 crore this year for minority welfare. You have stopped five schemes that were meant for minority welfare. After this track record, you talk of Muslim welfare. Who is going to believe you?

You say non-Muslims can be on Waqf boards. Tell me, forget non-Hindus but even people like me, Dalits, will you let me be on the trust of Ram Mandir or any other temple?

BJP might target temples, churches next, says Uddhav Thackeray

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday claimed the Union government has its eye on the land of the Waqf boards and asserted it may turn its attention to the land of temples, churches and gurdwaras next.

His party opposed the BJP's fraudulent stand on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill and "its ploy to take away (Waqf) land and give it to its industrialist friends," Thackeray said at a press conference here, hours after the bill was passed by the Lok Sabha.

The Sena (UBT), a former BJP ally now part of the opposition's INDIA grouping, has opposed the bill.

Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who heads the rival Shiv Sena, said by opposing the bill Thackeray committed a greater "crime" than joining hands with the Congress.

"The concern about the Muslim community shown by the BJP and its allies supporting the bill will put (Pakistan founder Muhammad Ali) Jinnah to shame," Thackeray told reporters.

His remarks came as the BJP and the Shiv Sena led by Shinde sought to corner the Sena (UBT) for 'abandoning' Hindutva and the ideals of party founder Bal Thackeray in not supporting the Waqf (Amendment) Bill.

"You are eyeing Waqf land, but temple trusts, churches, gurdwaras too have land. You may be eyeing us (lands of Hindu temples) as well. The bill was brought just for land. We have opposed this sham," said Thackeray, a former Maharashtra chief minister.

"If the Waqf bill is for the betterment of the Muslim community, who has abandoned Hindutva (by bringing it in)," he asked.

"What has the Waqf (Amendment) Bill to do with Hindutva? How will Hindus benefit from this?" he further said.

Thackeray, however, admitted the bill has some good elements, and said his party will not support negative politics.

"There should be transparency," he added.