What did Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi and BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi say after Supreme Court's interim order on Waqf Act?
Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Imran Pratapgarhi has described the Supreme Court's decision to stay some provisions of the Waqf Amendment Act 2025 as a 'big relief'.
Imran Pratapgarhi is among the petitioners who had filed a petition in the Supreme Court against the Waqf Amendment Act.
On the Supreme Court's decision, the Congress leader said, "This is a very good decision. The Supreme Court has put a big stop to the conspiracy and intention of the government. People who donated their lands across the country for religious and social work, who feared that the government would try to loot their lands, got immediate relief."
He said further, "I am very happy. There is a huge fight to save Waqf lands in this country, we will continue to fight that fight."
'It is not right to make any kind of communal attack on the reform of Waqf'
On the other hand, BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that 'It is not right to make any kind of communal attack on the reform of Waqf.'
He said, "The government will definitely look into the order given by the court. But I believe that any kind of communal attack on this reform should not be accepted."
Regarding the ban on the condition of accepting Islam for five years, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that the Supreme Court has the right to review any law.
One of the top contentions flagged by critics of the legislation is the criterion that Waqf donations can only be made by a person practising Islam for at least five years. Opposition MPs and Muslim leaders had questioned the five-year restriction.
The Supreme Court on Monday while refusing to stay the entire Waqf Amendment Act, stayed certain provisions of it, putting on hold the provision that mandated a person should be a practitioner of Islam for 5 years to create a Waqf. The top court has also said that no more than 3 non-muslim members should be present in the board, and only a total 4 non-muslim members are to be present.
The BJP leader has also targeted the people opposing the Waqf Amendment Act. He said, "Those who are creating a ruckus and uproar on the reform of Waqf, they want legal exemption for loot. There is nothing more than this."
Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said, "The decision to reform the Waqf is for the protection of faith and improvement of the system, but it is unfortunate that the loot lobby wants legal exemption for loot, for which it will try to create imaginary illusions."
On Monday, the Supreme Court gave an interim order in this case. A bench headed by Chief Justice BR Gavai heard the case for three consecutive days in May and reserved the decision on May 22.
More than 100 people had filed a petition regarding this amendment and called the law unconstitutional and usurping the property of Muslims.
While the government says that the new law will ensure reform and transparency in the Waqf Boards. It will work to stop the large-scale "encroachment" on public and private properties.
Prakash Kumar Pandey