Waqf Amendment Bill LIVE | JPC to be constituted for further scrutiny

Rijiju responds to the discussion, says Opposition's objections are not valid.

Rijiju says argument that this House lacks Legislative competence to pass the Bill is incorrect because the Bill doesn't violate any provision of the Constitution, adds that even SC has said that Waqf Board doesn't fall under purview of Article 25.

The minority affairs minister says the Bill is aimed at giving rights to Muslim women and not to deny rights to anyone.

Rijiju also asserts that the Bill deals with subjects in the concurrent list and so there is no question of violating federalism because Centre can draft Bill on subjects under Concurrent list, adds Bill aims to rectify bad amendments made to the Waqf Act in 1995 and 2013 (under Congress led regimes).

Rijiju says 2 previous committees set up by the Congress governments, one for reviewing Waqf and other, the Sachar committee, for studying the situation of Muslims in India, had recommended various reforms of the Waqf system.

Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) Shrikant Shinde supports the introduction of the Bill, says some people opposing the proposed legislation only to mislead the country in the name of secularism and appease one religious community.

TDP MP GM Harish Balayogi supports the Bill's introduction, says regulation and reforms in Waqf are needed. However, Balayogi adds that the TDP will have "no problem" if the Bill is to be sent to a select committee for wider consultations.