'Attack on Constitution': Sonia Gandhi Condemns Forcible Passage of Waqf Amendment Bill

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu) : Congress President Sonia Gandhi launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led government on Wednesday, accusing it of forcibly passing the Waqf Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha, which she termed as a "brazen assault on the Constitution". The Waqf Amendment Bill, which seeks to amend the Waqf Act, 1995, was passed in the Lok Sabha amidst opposition protests. The bill aims to provide for the better administration of Waqf properties and to ensure that the income generated from these properties is utilized for the welfare of the Muslim community. However, the opposition parties, including the Congress, have been opposing the bill, alleging that it encroaches upon the rights of the Muslim community and undermines the authority of the Waqf Boards.

Sonia Gandhi, while speaking to reporters outside the Parliament, expressed her strong opposition to the bill, saying that it was a "clear example of the government's disregard for the rights of minorities". "This is an attack on the Constitution, a bill passed forcibly... The government has shown no respect for the rights of minorities, no respect for the rights of the Muslim community," she said.

Gandhi also accused the government of trying to "interfere" in the religious affairs of the Muslim community, saying that the bill was an attempt to "usurp" the powers of the Waqf Boards. "The government has no business to interfere in the religious affairs of the Muslim community. The Waqf Boards are elected bodies, and they should be allowed to function independently," she said. The Congress President also questioned the government's motives behind introducing the bill, alleging that it was an attempt to "polarize" the society and to "divide" the people. "The government's intentions are clear. They want to polarize the society, they want to divide the people. But we will not let them succeed," she said.

The opposition parties have been protesting against the bill, both inside and outside the Parliament. The Congress, along with other opposition parties, has been demanding that the bill be sent to a standing committee for further scrutiny. However, the government has rejected the opposition's demands, saying that the bill has been drafted after consulting with all stakeholders, including the Muslim community. The Waqf Amendment Bill is likely to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha soon, where it is expected to face stiff opposition from the Congress and other opposition parties.