In a tense Lok Sabha session on Wednesday, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi fiercely criticized the government, alleging that the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, is being used to erode constitutional protections, tarnish the image of minority communities, sow discord in society, and marginalize minority groups. As the deputy leader of the opposition, Gogoi took center stage in the debate, challenging the ruling party’s intentions behind the legislation.
Gogoi directly confronted Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju over his assertion that the UPA government had handed over 123 properties to the Delhi Waqf Board just before the 2014 elections. Calling it an outright falsehood, Gogoi demanded evidence to back up Rijiju’s claim. “He’s deliberately misled the House with baseless political charges,” Gogoi said, also expressing frustration with Speaker Om Birla for failing to step in during the exchange.
Speaker Birla swiftly dismissed Gogoi’s objections, stating, “I’ve already ruled that points of order aren’t permitted during discussions, and that’s final.” Rijiju hit back, urging Gogoi to identify precisely which part of his statement was inaccurate instead of making sweeping accusations. Gogoi stood his ground, pointing to Rijiju’s earlier comments about the UPA’s supposed actions in 2013 regarding Waqf decisions.
The confrontation had its roots in Rijiju’s remarks earlier that day while introducing the bill, where he claimed, “In 2013, Congress allowed anyone to establish a Waqf, and on March 5, 2014, the UPA transferred 123 prime properties to the Delhi Waqf Board ahead of the elections.”
Gogoi didn’t stop there. He accused the BJP of showing little regard for minority representation in the Lok Sabha and questioned why a new Waqf law was even necessary. He noted that the Union’s minority affairs ministry had conducted five meetings on the bill, yet the focus was on the Wamsi portal—not a new law. “No one called for this legislation in those discussions,” he emphasized.
Also read: Rijiju Accuses Opposition of Misleading Muslims Over Waqf Bill
The Congress MP also took issue with the bill’s mandate for a “certificate of religion,” asking whether similar requirements would apply to other faiths. “Isn’t this a violation of constitutional principles?” he challenged. Gogoi went further, accusing the government of echoing colonial divide-and-rule strategies and praising the Muslim community’s contributions to India’s freedom struggle. “While you opposed the Quit India movement and sought mercy from the British, they were laying down their lives in places like Malta and Egypt,” he declared.
Turning to the legislative process, Gogoi slammed the government’s handling of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), claiming it ignored opposition input. “I’ve witnessed many JPCs, but never one that skipped clause-by-clause deliberations,” he argued.
In a pointed warning to the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), an ally of the ruling NDA, Gogoi highlighted the removal of Section 107 from the Waqf Act, 1995, in the amendment bill. Linking it to Andhra Pradesh’s Limitation Act, 1963, he cautioned, “You’re stripping away similar provisions here. You’ll have to face your state’s people later.”