‘Follow Constitution’: Mamata criticises BJP’s ‘divide and rule policy’
Times of India | 3 April 2025
Kolkata: In the backdrop of the waqf bill debate in Lok Sabha, CM Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday attacked BJP, terming it a "jumla party with a one-point programme: to divide the country". As her party opposed the bill in the Lok Sabha debate, the CM told reporters in Kolkata: "They (BJP) believe in divide and rule policy — something that we don't. We follow our Constitution. We should all first respect the Constitution before doing anything else."
In Lok Sabha, Trinamool party chief whip Kalyan Banerjee — who as a member of the joint parliamentary committee (along with TMC Rajya Sabha MP Nadimul Haque) gave a dissent note — told LS that the bill was "unconstitutional" and TMC opposed it "in its entirety". Earlier, the party's Lok Sabha leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay walked into Lok Sabha wearing all-black in protest.
Kalyan said: "Under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee, I want to say that Trinamool Congress opposes this Waqf Amendment Bill. The essence of my statement is that one should neither become a Hindu nor a Muslim, but a human being. The current bill focuses on two aspects of Waqf — managing religious practices for Muslims and granting state govt the right to resolve disputes over waqf properties."
Kalyan argued that waqf was a religious and charitable institution, and Muslims had the right to manage their religious affairs since the owner of waqf properties was Allah. "This bill undermines Muslims' rights and violates Article 26 of the Constitution," he said.
He claimed that Hindu law followed British law, while Muslim law followed the Prophet's law. He said if Section 40 of the waqf act was removed, there would be no need for a waqf board. According to Section 40, the board can declare any land as waqf property.
Kalyan said: "The purpose of this bill is to curtail Muslims' rights and interfere with their religious duties, which is a direct violation of Article 26 of the Constitution. Under Subsection 1 of Article 246, Parliament has the power to legislate, and under Subsection 3, states also have the power to legislate. The control of waqf land under the state's jurisdiction should remain with the state. Through this amendment, central govt is trying to undermine the state's rights over waqf properties, which is completely unconstitutional."