Waqf (Amendment) Bill should be called 'looters (amendment) law': Owaisi

Hyderabad: Coming down heavily on the NDA government in the Centre over the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday alleged that the bill should be called a 'looters (amendment) law' as the BJP-led regime "wants to take away" waqf properties.

Referring to Union Home Minister Amit Shah's reported remarks that one cannot approach courts against the waqf tribunal, Owaisi alleged that Shah was "lying".

Owaisi, who has been a vocal critic of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, alleged that it violates several provisions of the Constitution, including Articles 14, 26 and 29.

"The BJP and NDA government are doing the work of looters. They want to snatch away waqf properties. Why are you removing the survey commissioner (as per the proposed bill). It is senior most officer's post. This is all for looting. It should not be called as Waqf (Amendment) but 'looters (amendment) law'," Owaisi told reporters here.

On Shah's reported remarks, he said there are several tribunals, including the Income Tax tribunal and railway claims tribunal, and review petitions can be filed against its judgments in high court.

"Cannot you file (review petition) against the Income Tax tribunal? Amit Shah is misleading the country and lying," the AIMIM chief said.

Shah made it clear on Friday that the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, which was referred to a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) in August 2024, will be reintroduced in the current session of Parliament.

The home minister had said the government had to bring the amendment bill to the existing law as the original legislation was enacted due to the politics of appeasement.

He said according to the existing law enacted by the Congress, these decisions could not even be challenged in courts.

Voicing strong opposition to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, Owaisi on Friday alleged that the Bill is a "direct assault on Muslims" and would strip them of their properties.