Trinamool leads Oppn in LS against Waqf Bill: Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on Thursday, claimed that her party Trinamool Congress is leading on the floor of Parliament in opposing the Waqf (Amendment) Bill.

According to her, the said Bill will not only destabilize the Waqf system in the country but will also target a particular religion. “This Bill is against one particular religion. This Bill is against the basic spirit of equality and the right to practice any religion. That is exactly why we are opposing the said Bill,” the Chief Minister said on Thursday while addressing the state Assembly on the fourth day of the winter session.

Incidentally, her comments come on a day when the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) examining the Waqf (Amendment) Bill has sought an extension on filing the report till the last day of the Budget Session, 2025.

She also said that besides people from the Muslim community people from other religions also donate for Waqf properties. “They do a lot of development activities. They cannot just be bulldozed. Recently the Supreme Court of India too has given a verdict against the demolition of properties through the use of bulldozers,” the Chief Minister said.

She also informed the House that in West Bengal the Waqf Board has issued notices for freeing the Waqf properties of infringements. “There are a total of 155 cases in the matter. All these have been referred to the tribunal,” the Chief Minister informed.

Addressing the Assembly, the Chief Minister also claimed that the Union government should have consulted the state governments concerned on this issue.

“Even in your state, there are Waqf properties. But we were not discussed. We just came to know of that from media reports. The Union government just issued a notification where stakeholders were asked to point out objections if any. But we were not discussed,” the Chief Minister said.

The West Bengal unit of BJP has already cleared its stand on the issue. They have claimed that since the said Bill is still under the consideration of the Joint Parliamentary Committee, it is not fair to pass any comment on it. The state BJP has also claimed that this opposition to the Bill is part of the Trinamool Congress’ practice of doing politics through appeasement and polarization.

IANS