Patna (Bihar) : Amid the ongoing legislative assembly session in Bihar, former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday said that the Waqf (Amendment) Bill being introduced by the central government was "completely unconstitutional." He further accused the Assembly Speaker of not giving them time to discuss the matter.
"Today everyone including us (Rashtriya Janata Dal) and the left parties raised the issue related to the Waqf board, but the speaker didn't give us time to talk on this issue and adjourned (the assembly session). This is a conspiracy by the central government. To spread hatred in the country. The bill is completely unconstitutional. We opposed it in Parliament and the Bihar legislative assembly and will also do so on the streets. We will not let this bill pass under any circumstances," RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav told reporters.
Asserting that they are against the politics of hatred, the senior RJD leader further said that the government only had one agenda, which was to spread hatred between "Hindus and Muslims."
"Although this matter is with the JPC (Joint Parliamentary Committee), we are presenting our views strongly. However, the government only has one agenda: to spread hatred between Hindus and Muslims. The beauty of this country is that it is diverse. We are against the politics of hatred," Yadav said.
Earlier, on the commencement of the winter session of Parliament, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday launched a scathing attack on the central government over the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, saying that this bill is a "grave violation of Article 26 of the Constitution."
This remark came after he, along with other opposition MPs, met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla today to raise their demand for an extension of the Joint Parliament Committee on Waqf (Amendment) Bill.
Counting the drawbacks of the bill, Owaisi alleged that the government is bringing this bill to eradicate the Waqf Board rather than focusing on its strengthening. He questioned the "intention" of the government behind this bill.
"This law hasn't been made and see what has happened in Sambhal... This bill violates Article 26. This is a grave violation of Article 26 of the Constitution. This bill gives immense power to collector that he can decide that a property will be Waqf property or not. Additionally, on what basis are they making non-Muslim a member"? Owaisi told reporters.
Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader V Muraleedharan on Monday criticised the opposition parties over the Waqf Amendment Bill, accusing the Congress and the Communist parties of playing a "double game" on the issue.
"The Congress and Communist parties are playing a double game on the issue of the Waqf amendment bill. In Kerala and in Cochin, where the Christian and fisherman community is on an agitational path for establishing their rights, where the Waqf board has given an unjustifiable notice to the owners of their land, the CPM and Congress leaders come and support them. But when they go to Delhi, they oppose the rightful authority of the people holding their property..." said the BJP leader.