Pune: Union minority affairs minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday said false propaganda was being spread against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill brought by the Centre to mislead the Muslim community . He said the parliamentary panel examining the bill received over one crore responses. "It is a kind of world record.
Earlier, if the parliamentary committee would get 1,000 responses, we would think that it is a big number," Rijiju told reporters during his visit to an educational institution in the city on Monday. Rijiju had introduced the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, in Parliament on August 8. Following strong objection from the opposition, the bill was referred to the joint parliamentary committee.
"We brought the bill in Parliament with good intention. It has now been referred to the joint parliamentary committee for suggestions, objections and scrutiny," he said. Rijiju said the Muslim community should be careful against the false propaganda regarding the bill.
"Some sections are spreading false propaganda that govt wants to take over the land of Muslims. It has to stop at the earliest. Several Muslim organisations have approached me and supported the bill because it deals with mismanagement and illegal land possession.
The Centre has good intention behind introducing the bill and we will go through the responses the committee has received," he said. The minister also took a dig at Aam Aadmi Party's Delhi chief minister Atishi for placing an empty chair next to hers for former chief m.