‘NDA government is against minorities’: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah speaks on WAQF Act amendment

By Vinaykumar Patil | First Published Aug 8, 2024, 5:36 PM IST

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah criticized the NDA government’s proposed WAQF Board law amendment as anti-secular and draconian. He accused the BJP of opposing social justice and constitutional values, dismissing related complaints as baseless and unsupported.

In a sharp rebuke, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah criticized the NDA government’s recent move to amend the WAQF Board property law. Speaking to the media upon his arrival at Mysore's Mandakalli airport today, Siddaramaiah accused the BJP of being "anti-secular" and claimed that the party has historically opposed social justice initiatives.

The Chief Minister’s comments came in response to a question about the controversial bill introduced by Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on August 8. The bill seeks to amend the WAQF Board law, leading to immediate backlash from opposition MPs who denounced it as "unconstitutional" and "draconian."

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Siddaramaiah expressed strong opposition to the proposed legislation, which aims to rename the WAQF Board law to the Unified WAQF Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Act. The bill proposes significant changes, including the creation of a Central WAQF Council and state WAQF Boards that would feature representatives from both Muslim women and non-Muslims. It also suggests empowering District Collectors to decide whether properties are WAQF assets or government land.

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"This move by the BJP is a clear attack on secular values and social justice," Siddaramaiah stated. "The party has consistently failed to support constitutional principles, and this bill is just another example of their communal agenda."

In response to a complaint from social activist Sneha Mahi Krishna regarding Siddaramaiah, the Chief Minister dismissed the allegations, asserting, "We are equipped to handle such false claims. These attempts to bring false cases against us will not deter us."

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