Enemy Property Bill divides House

Arguing against the proposed legislation, which has bearing on over 2,000 Enemy properties, Samajwadi Party chief  Mulayam Singh Yadav referred to cases pleaded by P Chidambaram and two Rajya Sabha members of the BJP in their capacities as lawyers, alleging that it has had an influence on the Bill. He said that the Bill went against the judgment of the Supreme Court which recently upheld the claim of Suleamn Mian on the property of Raja Mahmoodabad. 

The Bill, seeking amendments in the Enemy Property Act of 1968 for giving increased power to the government, is considered to be politically sensitive as it concerns many Muslim families whose descendants are claiming ownership over these properties.

Some of them are alleging that their properties were wrongly declared Enemy Property.
Mulayam Singh and Lalu Prasad opposed the Bill when it came up for discussion. The government’s assurance to introduce amendments to accommodate the concerns expressed by the two leaders drew some sharp remarks from leader of the opposition Sushma Swaraj who declared that the BJP would oppose any amendment to the Bill and demanded the Bill be sent to the Standing Committee.