Will nullify waqf bill once a new govt comes in office: Mamata
Times of India | 4 April 2025
Kolkata: BJP brought the waqf bill to divide the country and once a "new govt was formed", it would bring amendments to nullify it, said Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Thursday. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha early on Thursday after a marathon 12-hour debate.
"When a new govt is formed after ousting the current regime, we will bring a new amendment to nullify this waqf bill," she told reporters. "BJP brought this bill to divide the country," she added. On Wednesday, Banerjee had criticised BJP's "divisive agenda".
In Kolkata, protests are scheduled to take place after Friday prayers at Park Circus by Muslim organisations and members of the civil society. A turnout of over a thousand people is expected. Neta of a Muslim organisation, Sabir Ali, told TOI:"It will be a peaceful demonstration like the farmers' protest." The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) on Wednesday said they would launch a nationwide fight against the "black law".
The Nakhoda Masjid Imam, Md Shafique Qasmi, said that they oppose the waqf bill but are yet to determine whether to protest against it during the Friday prayers. "It depends on what we are told by the AIMPLB." "PM Narendra Modi is doing ‘zulm' (injustice) on Muslims. This amendment bill is a one-sided oppression of a particular community. Is this why people from our community fought for independence? Only for their property to be snatched away? I also blame Chandrababu Naidu and Nitish Kumar for supporting this."