Rijiju proposes sending the Waqf (Amendment) Bill to a Joint Parliamentary panel

New Delhi: Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday said the Waqf (Amendment) Bill does not intend to interfere with the freedom of any religious body and that no provision of the Constitution has been violated.

Responding to objections raised by several opposition members on the introduction of the bill in Lok Sabha, he said Waqf Act 1995 did not serve its purpose, hence the amendment was planned.

"I want to tell Congress these amendments are being brought to achieve what you (Congress) couldn't," he said.

Defending the amendments, Rijiju said a joint parliamentary committee had recommended that Waqf Act 1995 should be re-looked.

He said the opposition was opposing for the sake of politics.

Rijiju proposes sending the Waqf (Amendment) Bill to a Joint Parliamentary panel.

'My good fortune that being non-Muslim, I am getting the opportunity to bring the bill for welfare of Muslims,' Rijiju said.

Opposition trying to mislead Muslims; many MPs told me privately that Waqf boards captured by mafia but now opposing bill, said the Minister.

'No interference with freedom of any religious body in Waqf bill, no article of Constitution violated,' Union minister said.