New Delhi: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav strongly criticised the BJP in the Lok Sabha over the Waqf Amendment Bill, accusing the ruling party of having neither the right policies nor the right intentions.
Speaking in Lok Sabha over the Bill, Yadav said, "BJP's policies and intentions are flawed. This is a conspiracy to snatch homes and shops from crores of people in the country."
Yadav slammed the government and said that the contentious Waqf Amendment Bill has been made to hide the failures of the current regime.
"Whenever the BJP introduces a new bill, they are hiding their failure," he said.
Taking a jibe at the BJP's leadership election process, he said, "A party that claims to be the biggest political party in the world has still not been able to elect its own national president."
Responding to Yadav’s jibe, Home Minister Amit Shah said, "Parties like yours have to pick a president from just five members. There’s never a delay. I say this to you—you will remain president for the next 25 years."
Earlier, BJP MP from Bihar Ravi Shankar Prasad while speaking during a discussion in Lok Sabha said Waqf is not a religious body but a statutory body.
"A Congress leader said in the House that they are not against amendments to the Waqf Bill. Then why are they opposing it? I will tell you why because political appeasement is forcing the party to take this stance," Prasad said.
Prasad said how many schools and hospitals have been built on its properties, challenging its role in serving the community.
Speaking over the Bill, Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Kalyan Banerjee accused the government of "attempting" to take over Waqf properties through the proposed Waqf Bill.
"Waqf Bill is a bid to occupy Waqf properties by government bodies. The changes proposed are unwarranted. Waqf property represents the backbone of the Muslim community," he said.
Banerjee criticised the bill, alleging that it aims to introduce classifications within Waqf boards based on sects, which he claimed was indicative of the ruling party's "evil intention".
"Under the guise of the Waqf Amendment Bill, the government is attempting to create different classifications of Waqf boards based on sects. If the title speaks of unification, then why does the bill seek to divide? Classifications within Waqf boards based on sects are indicative of the ruling party's evil intention," Banerjee asked.