Amid the ongoing objections from the Opposition over "unparliamentary" language, lighter moments were seen in the Parliament on Thursday during the discussion on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah 'helped' cabinet colleague and Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju in preventing a pitfall in Lok Sabha.
Rijiju on Friday introduced the bill to amend the law governing Waqf boards in the Lok Sabha, with the Opposition terming it to be 'draconian' and a fundamental attack on the Constitution.
The Minority Affairs Minister explained why the Centre deemed it fit to go ahead with the Waqf bill and gave an example of a Muslim from Uttar Pradesh, hitting out at Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav.
"Bushra Fathima... you were probably the Chief Minister then," Rijiju said while directly addressing Akhilesh. He went on saying, "Didn't anyone inform you? She is having such a difficult time trying to survive with her children. But there is no change in Waqf laws, once her husband dies, the property will go to the Waqf board."
The Minority Affairs minister held Fathima's case study in the House while making a case for the government's stance of the proposed changes to be helpful to women and children.
With the Opposition's chants of 'shame, shame', Rijiju asked, "Should we not intervene in such a situation? Should no step be taken to get her justice? Don't look at this through the prism of religion."
As the sounds from the treasury benches started getting louder, he said that this is the problem with the Congress, "they ask a question and when I try to clarify matters, they say 'Form a committee'. Don't try to run off after raising an issue".
Amid comments over joint parliamentary committee (JPC), Rijiju said that he merely explained matters, adding that what will be done is that the Centre will move ahead with the Speaker's agreement and the House' sense.
"But so many members spoke today of so many things at length, so many lies (jhooth), creating misconceptions," Rijiju was quoted as saying by NDTV.
His 'lies' remark was met with loud protests, with the minister correcting himself to say 'untruths' (asathya). However that did not calm the Opposition down, leading to Amit Shah's intervention, "Don't say lies (jhooth). Let's say they have no spoken the truth". Speaker Om Birla was also seen smiling broadly at this.
A woman member in the House was also heard saying, "Say untruths and misinformation." To this Rijiju smiles and said, "You do know untruths were said and misconception spread."
Defending the bill, Rijiju said that in their hearts, even the Opposition approved of it. Referring to Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, who had walked off, he said, "He had given his approval before leaving."
The Minority Affairs minister said that there is no interference in the freedom of any religious body with this bill. "Forget about taking anyone’s rights, this bill has been brought to give rights to those who never got them," he added.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill has proposed far-reaching changes in the present Act, including ensuring the representation of Muslim women and non-Muslims in such bodies.
According to its statement of objects and reasons, the bill seeks to omit Section 40 of the current law relating to the powers of the Board to decide if a property is Waqf property. It also provides for a broad-based composition of the Central Waqf Council and the State Waqf Boards and ensures the representation of Muslim women and non-Muslims in such bodies.
