Terming the Supreme Court order on the Waqf (Amendment) Act as a win for the constitutional values of justice, equality and fraternity, the Congress asserted that it goes a long way towards undoing the “mischievous intentions” underlying the original statute.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the Supreme Court’s interim order in the matter had reaffirmed its resolve to protect the rights of minorities — a cause for which the Opposition stood united against the Modi Government.
“The BJP had sought to bulldoze a divisive law, designed solely to inflame communal passions and reopen issues that India had long settled. The Congress party stands firm in defending the rights of every citizen, without fear or favour, as guaranteed by our Constitution,” Kharge said on social media alleging that the BJP, in contrast, thrives on dividing society for narrow electoral gains.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the Supreme Court order on the Waqf (Amendment) Act represents a substantial victory not just for the parties that opposed this arbitrary law in Parliament but all those members of the Joint Parliamentary Committee who submitted detailed dissent notes which were then ignored but now stand vindicated. Counsels for the Opposition parties had argued that the law would result in the creation of a structure where anyone and everyone could challenge the status of the property before the Collector, and the status of the property would be in limbo while in such litigation, he said.
Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said the Supreme Court’s order is a vindication of his party’s stand that this law is blatantly unconstitutional and designed to target a particular community.
The Court has stayed two of these provisions, and has also reduced the number of non-Muslims allowed on Waqf Councils and observed that Chief Executives of the Waqf Boards should be from the Muslim community, he said. This verdict is yet another tight slap on the face of this Government that is solely focused on destroying the Constitution, Venugopal said.