Lucknow: Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday accused the BJP of using the Waqf (Amendment) Bill as a pretext to sell land for the benefit of its members. He claimed that the BJP was operating like a real estate company.
In a post on X, Yadav suggested that the BJP should rename itself the “Bharatiya Zameen Party.” He argued that the bill, which aims to amend the Waqf Act of 1995, is just another scheme designed to benefit BJP members by selling various types of land, including defense, railway, and Nazul land, with Waqf board lands being the latest target.
Yadav further criticized the BJP, saying they should openly admit that the bill is “issued in the interest of BJP members.”
He demanded a written guarantee that Waqf Board lands would not be sold.
Yadav reiterated his stance that the BJP is acting like a real estate company and proposed that they should change their name to reflect this, replacing “janata” (people) with “zameen” (land) to become the “Bharatiya Zameen Party.”
He also stated that the Samajwadi Party would oppose the bill, accusing the BJP of trying to strip Muslims of their constitutional rights and deepen religious divisions.
The bill in question proposes significant changes to the current Waqf Act, including renaming it to the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Act, 1995.
It aims to ensure the representation of Muslim women and non-Muslims on Waqf boards and introduces a new board specifically for the Bohras and Aghakhanis.
The draft law also provides for the inclusion of Shias, Sunnis, Bohras, Aghakhanis, and other backward classes among Muslim communities on these boards.
