*"Lok Sabha Passes Waqf Amendment Bill Amidst Heated Debate"*

Act. They only have a provision for writ jurisdiction in the High Court, which has a very limited purview,” retorted Mr Shah.

Speaking in favour of the bill, Union Minister JP Nadda accused the Opposition of attempting to divert and derail the issue and asserted that it would be good if they paid attention to the deprived sections of the Muslim community. He also questioned why India cannot make changes when Muslim nations are making Waqf properties transparent and digitized the system.

Congress’s Mallikarjun Kharge said the bill should not be made into a prestige issue. “What you (government) are doing is not good. This will lead to disputes in the country. You are sowing seeds for disputes… I appeal to the Home Minister to withdraw this. What is the harm in rectifying the errors?” he said.

Giving what he called a “comparative statement,” he said the Bill was passed in Lok Sabha with 288 Ayes and 232 Noes. “Did everyone accept it? This means that there are drawbacks (in the Bill). You should see this… If you go by ‘jiski laathi uski bhains’, this will not be good for anyone,” he told the House.

Targeting the Centre over the provisions of the legislation, he said: “Why two non-Muslims are required (to be part of Waqf board)? In Tirupati, do you keep any Muslims? Are there Muslim members in the Ram Temple Trust? Let alone Muslims, you won’t put a Dalit Hindu like me also there.”

His words echoed AIMIM leader Imtiaz Jaleel, who said, “If non-Muslims are going to be appointed on the Waqf Board, are they going to include Imtiaz Jaleel in Shirdi Saibaba (temple) trust or Tirupati temple trust. If such a board comes up for the Sikh community, no non-Sikh can be appointed. So, why such things are for the Waqf Board only,” he questioned.

The Lok Sabha had passed the bill with a 288-232 vote in the early hours of Thursday after a debate lasting over 12 hours.

The proposed legislation — which will be sent for President’s sign-off next — aims to amend the 1995 law governing Waqf properties.give headline