'Biggest Eidi': BJP leader Mohsin Raza praises PM Narendra Modi before tabling of Waqf Amendment Bill

NEW DELHI: The Waqf Amendment Bill is set to be moved in Parliament, with BJP leader Mohsin Raza expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling it the biggest "Eidi" for marginalized Muslims. The bill, which aims to amend the Waqf Act of 1995, will be tabled by Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju after today's Question Hour, followed by an eight-hour discussion."On behalf of all the downtrodden and backward Muslim brothers and sisters of the country, I thank Prime Minister Modi for this Waqf Amendment Bill. This will be the biggest 'Eidi' from PM Modi for backward Muslims," said Raza.Raza urged opposition parties to support the bill, emphasizing their responsibility to backward Muslims who have supported them in elections."I demand the opposition (to support the bill)...since they have received votes from backward Muslims. They have formed governments on their votes. However, they have never talked about their welfare, only to benefit a few people," Raza stated.Congress MP Kiran Kumar Chamala expressed opposition to the bill if it attempts to "de-establish" a particular community."Definitely, we will oppose this bill if something in it is against a particular community or trying to de-establish that community. They (the government) have given us eight hours today to discuss it. Our final agenda is that when there is a discussion, the issues raised by the opposition or the ruling should be considered because this is a democratic platform; they should not bulldoze as they did in the JPC," said Chamala.The BJP and Congress have issued whips to ensure their MPs' presence in the House, as the outcome may be decided by majority numbers on the floor.The Siromani Akali Dal (SAD) has passed a resolution against the bill during a Parliamentary Board meeting. Party leader Daljit S Cheema emphasized that minorities are an important part of India, and no law should be passed without community consensus.The bill was initially presented in the Lok Sabha in August last year, leading to the formation of a Joint Parliamentary Committee under Jagdambika Pal's leadership.The proposed amendments aim to address issues and challenges in regulating and managing Waqf properties. The bill seeks to improve administration and management by introducing changes such as renaming the Act, updating waqf definitions, improving registration processes, and increasing technology use in managing waqf records.The current Waqf Act of 1995, which regulates Waqf properties, has faced criticism for issues including mismanagement, corruption, and encroachments.