New Delhi, Feb 4 Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Tuesday hit back at AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi for his remarks on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, asserting that the Waqf Board will function strictly in accordance with the law.
His response came after Owaisi warned the Centre in the Lok Sabha against implementing the bill in its current form, arguing that it would violate Articles 25, 26, and 14 of the Constitution and could lead to "social instability."
Responding to Owaisi's statement, Giriraj Singh said that India operates under the rule of law, irrespective of religion.
"This is India's Constitution. It does not belong to any one person or community. Owaisi should not be under any illusion -- India is governed by the rule of law, and Narendra Modi is the Prime Minister. The country will run according to the law," Singh told IANS.
Reaffirming the government's stance, Singh added, "No matter if one is Hindu or Muslim, no one is above the law. The days of instilling fear in people's minds are over. The Waqf Board will only function as per legal provisions."
Meanwhile, during his speech on Monday, Owaisi had said, "I am cautioning and warning this government -- if you bring and implement the current form of the Waqf law in the present form, which will be a violation of Articles 25, 26, and 14, it will create social instability in the country. The entire Muslim community has rejected it."
Criticising the proposed amendments, he added, "No Waqf property will be left, nothing will be left. You want to make India 'Viksit Bharat', we want 'Viksit Bharat'. You want to take this country back to the '80s and early '90s, it will be your responsibility. As a proud Indian Muslim, I will not lose an inch of my Masjid; I will not lose an inch of my Dargah. I will not allow that."
"We will no more come and give a diplomatic talk over here. This is the House where I have to stand and speak honestly, that my community; which we are proud Indians. It is my property, not given by anyone. You cannot snatch it away from me. Waqf is a form of worship for me," he had said.
In a related development, opposition MPs Kalyan Banerjee and Md Nadimul Haque raised concerns on Monday over the alleged removal of key portions of their dissent notes from the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) report on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill.
In a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, they claimed that their objections were expunged without prior notice or explanation.
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