Waqf Amendment Bill: What Lies Next for Burying Minorityism?

Parliament Sets Date to Drain Muslim Exclusivity

By Manish Anand

New Delhi, April 2: A government note on FAQ on Waqf Board Amendment Bill said that there exists no such law for any other religion in India. The aim of the amending bill, thus, appears to withdraw exclusivity of Muslims.

The Lok Sabha in the course of three days, beginning today, will weigh arguments over the Waqf Board Amendment Bill. The battleline is drawn, and there is no doubt that the bill will sail with ayes in the lower House of parliament.

Late Prabhat Jha held the post of the vice president in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He had also been a Rajya Sabha MP. Jha somewhat commanded an intellectual heft on BJP’s direction after the arrival of Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister.

“To mainstream Muslims, their exclusivity has to be first dismantled. The exclusivity of Muslims can be further challenged by freeing Muslim women from the limitations of ultra patriarchal rules,” said Jha.

Once Muslim women are empowered and fear from their minds removed, the minoritysim in the country will crumble, Jha told this author weeks ahead of parliament enacting a law to criminalize the practice of triple talaq among the Muslims. In his lush green lawn, Jha had shared his insights into the future approach of the BJP to deal with minorityism.

SC mainstreams assertions of Muslim women’s rights

The Waqf Board Amendment Bill gives space to women at the high table. Besides, the amendment also brings non-Muslims into the Waqf Board. The red-herring, indeed, is a state official getting an overwhelming say in deciding if a property is Waqf or not.

To give a blow to exclusivity, the amendment removes the shield to decisions of Waqf Council from the judicial scrutiny. The BJP in its arsenals has arguments that tick the boxes of modernity – women empowerment, equal application of law for all et all.

The Opposition is riled up. Asaduddin Owaisi has been the principal face of the Opposition to the Waqf Board Amendment Bill. But over the Opposition gives out suggestions that they will be opposing the bill for the sake of opposition. The Opposition parties have shown diluted anger over the bill.

After triple talaq legislation, the Waqf bill fills dots in the BJP script to bury minorityism. The script is unlayered in phases, with force coming from 2019.

UP’s 15% strike rate & BJP’s big Pasmanda Muslims bet

The Places of Worship Act, 1991 may well be the next part of the BJP script to finally bury minorityism. Several pleas are being filed in courts to challenge the Narsimha Rao-era law to iron-clad protection of mosques. Pot has been put on low flame.

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About The Author

Manish Anand

Manish Anand is a senior journalist with more than two decades of hardcore reporting on beats such as Prime Minister’s Office, Parliament, BJP, Congress, Planning Commission, NITI Aayog, and scores of Union Ministries.

His past has been with The New Indian Express, The Asian Age/Deccan Chronicle, and The Statesman.

For about 15 years, Manish was also a regular commentator and host for talks on AIR on foreign affairs.

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