AGENCY
NEW DELHI, Apr 9
The BJP on Wednesday slammed Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi for opposing the Waqf (Amendment) Act, alleging that the Congress leader lacked clarity and has no clue about what stand he should take on what issue. Earlier, addressing the All India Congress Committee session in Ahmedabad, Rahul Gandhi hit out at the Union government over the Waqf Bill passed in Parliament in the budget session and is now a law, saying the legislation is “an attack on the freedom of religion and the Constitution”.
He accused the BJP-led NDA government of trying to control institutions. “Their (RSS) ideology is against the Constitution. They want to end democracy. They want to control all the institutions of India and hand over the country’s money to Ambani Adani…
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill is an attack on the freedom of religion and the Constitution,” he said.
Reacting sharply to the Congress leader’s remarks, senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad, while addressing a press conference at the party’s headquarters here, said, “Rahul Gandhi had to wait for Ahmedabad to speak on Waqf so long after it (Waqf Amendment Bill) was passed. This shows that Rahul Gandhi is not sure what to say about Waqf.”
“Rahul Gandhi ji lacks clarity and thought about what stand he should take on what issue,” he said. “He (Rahul Gandhi) claimed that the amendments in the Waqf Bill are unconstitutional. However, we discussed, in detail, how it’s constitutional,” the senior BJP leader said. “I want to say that Rahul Gandhi ji, there was a debate in the House for 12-13 hours, you yourself were sitting, why did you not speak on Waqf. This shows that there is no clarity in his (Rahul Gandhi) thinking about what should be said and what should not be said,” Prasad said.
“Rahul Gandhi, please clarify your stand. Why are you silent when on 8 lakh properties of Waqf, not a single school, hospital or skill centre has been made? Are you uncomfortable that attempts are being made through this law to give a voice to the deprived muslim women, widows and young girls?” the senior BJP leader said.
“You talk about OBCs. If, through this Waqf amendment, the marginalized backward muslims, notably Pasmanda Muslims, are empowered. Are you uncomfortable?” Prasad added.
