Barnala, April 3, 2025 : Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, the Aam Aadmi Party’s Member of Parliament from Sangrur, strongly opposed the Waqf Bill in Parliament today, presenting powerful arguments against it. He criticized the bill as an attempt by the BJP government to open the way for encroachment on minority religious properties. He stated that the bill was introduced to seize Waqf properties.
Meet Hayer further said that this bill has paved the way for an attack on minority religions. Today, the attack is on Waqf, but in the future, it will extend to Sikhs, Buddhists, and other minority religions. He emphasized that this directly violates Article 14. He questioned how the law would determine a person’s private religious practices.
He accused the BJP of playing divisive politics, which is evident in this bill. He stated that the central government’s attitude towards Muslims over the past 11 years has been clear, not through speeches but through actions. He pointed out that although the Home Minister claims the government is concerned about Muslims, there is not a single Muslim MP from the BJP in the Lok Sabha, nor is there any Muslim MLA in Uttar Pradesh.
The MP highlighted that the government has used the recommendations of the Sachar Committee as justification, but the Sachar Committee’s report also states that 70% of Waqf Board properties in the country have been encroached upon, with 355 properties occupied by the government itself. He questioned what action the government has taken in this regard. He also mentioned that numerous historical buildings, mosques, and educational institutions are centuries old—where will they produce documents from?
Citing the example of communal harmony in his parliamentary constituency, Malerkotla, from the time of Nawab Sher Mohammad Khan’s historic stand to the present, Meet Hayer urged the central government to refrain from dividing people on religious grounds. He affirmed his commitment to fulfilling promises made to the residents of Malerkotla and vowed to oppose this bill with full force.
The MP asserted that this bill is an attack on the Constitution of the country. He highlighted that under Article 26, religious communities have the right to establish and manage their institutions, and this bill directly undermines that right.
Summary: MP Meet Hayer voices strong opposition to the Waqf Bill in Parliament, raising concerns over its implications and demanding further discussions.