AIMIM Chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi launched a vehement criticism of the Centre on Tuesday regarding the Waqf (Amendment) Bill. Owaisi condemned the bill, describing it is not legislation but something to bulldoze Waqf and finish Muslims.
"Before the introduction of the Bill, we had sent a notice to the Speaker - under Rule 72 - that we are against the introduction of this Bill. We believe that this Bill violates the principles of Articles 14, 15 and 25. This Bill violates the basic structure of the Constitution. It especially violates judicial independence and separations of powers.
You want to snatch away the mosques that are being claimed by the RSS, snatch away the dargahs that are being claimed by right-wing Hindutva organisations. By removing the Waqf by User, you are asking them to bring the documents. If the 400-year-old document is not there, what changes will you make?" Owaisi asked. "There are a lot of sections herein that are dangerous. They are not in favour of the Waqf Board but are instead trying to finish it off. All their arguments are false. This is not legislation but something to bulldoze Waqf and finish Muslims," he added.
The AIMIM Chief also accused the government of a serious infringement on religious freedom with the new amendment, which stipulates that only Muslims who have been followers of Islam for five years can manage Waqf institutions. Owaisi questioned, "Who are you to decide whether someone is a Muslim or not?"