'Tight slap on Modi govt': Opposition backs SC stay on Waqf law provisions

The Opposition on Monday, September 15, described the Supreme Court’s order staying key provisions of the “blatantly problematic” new Waqf law as a “tight slap on the face” of the Modi government. Leaders said the ruling BJP could have avoided the embarrassment had it heeded their advice.

Welcoming the SC order, though it did not stay the entire law, the parties termed it a “win for the constitutional values of justice, equality, and fraternity” and demanded that the law be repealed by taking the “right lessons” from the order.

Congress General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal said the order on the “blatantly problematic” Waqf (Amendment) Act was a “vindication” of their stand that the law is “blatantly unconstitutional and designed to target a particular community.”

The Supreme Court stayed provisions stating that only those practising Islam for the last five years can dedicate property as Waqf, granting District Collectors powers to decide Waqf disputes, restricting the number of non-Muslims in central and state Waqf bodies, and mandating that the Chief Executives of Waqf Boards should be Muslims “as far as possible.”

“This verdict is yet another tight slap on the face of this government that is solely focused on destroying the Constitution. If they had paid heed to the Opposition’s advice given in Parliament, they would have been spared this embarrassment,” Venugopal said.

Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh said the SC order represents a “substantial victory” not just for the parties but also for members of the Joint Parliamentary Committee who had submitted detailed dissent notes on the “arbitrary” law, which were “ignored at the time but now stand vindicated.”

“The order is an important one because it goes a long way towards undoing the mischievous intentions underlying the original statute... The intention behind these sections was always apparent — to keep the voter base inflamed and create an administrative structure to indulge those seeking to foment religious disputes,” Ramesh said.

CPI(M) General Secretary MA Baby also welcomed the order. Senior Samajwadi Party MP Rajeev Rai added, “This law was brought for a specific intention, which was wrong and unjust. Everyone should trust the court that the final verdict will provide justice to everyone.”

CPI General Secretary D Raja said the SC had raised several pertinent issues that need to be addressed. “Unless those issues are addressed and a solution is found, how can the legislation be implemented? Now, it is for the government to respond... The government cannot put this legislation into implementation unless the issues raised by the SC are addressed,” he said.