As the Rajya Sabha is debating the Waqf (Amendment) Bill on Thursday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee stepped up her attack on the BJP government at the Centre, accusing it of bringing the bill to divide the country.
Banerjee said an amendment to nullify the new provisions would be brought in when a new government is formed at the Centre.
"When a new government is formed after ousting the current regime, we will bring a new amendment to nullify this Waqf Bill brought by the BJP," the chief minister told reporters in Kolkata.
On Wednesday, Banerjee had taken a sharp jibe at the Narendra Modi government for its “divisive agenda”.
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"My MPs are in Delhi to speak on the Waqf issue. The 'jumla party' has only one agenda -- to divide the country. They believe in 'divide and rule'," she had said.
The Lok Sabha passed the Bill with a 288-232 vote in the wee hours of Thursday after nearly 12 hours of debate. The government proposes to rename the Waqf Bill as Unified Waqf Management Empowerment, Efficiency and Development (UMEED) Bill.
The Bill seeks to improve the functioning of Waqf properties, address complexities, ensure transparency and introduce technology-driven management.
The opposition, however, alleges that the bill is an attempt by the central government to “violate" the religious freedom granted to Muslims under the Constitution.
