Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora attacked the Opposition parties on Saturday for trying to “mislead the muslim community” on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, and urging the community to trust the government to initiate reforms which would benefit them and their children.
“We have to understand that when it comes to the issue of Waqf, that whenever there is an issue that relates to a particular community, there are certain people who try to mislead the community that the government is doing something against them,” Milind Deora told media. Deora requested the Muslim community to “trust the government” and allow reforms which would help even their children.
“I will only urge my Muslim brothers and sisters, while I wish them Eid in advance, I would urge them not to fall into the trap of these people who only want to use them as a vote banks to join the mainstream, trust the government, initiate reforms which will benefit them and their children in the long run,” he said.
The Shiv Sena MP’s comments come amidst the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) announcing a nationwide peaceful protest against the proposed changes to the Waqf Board, urging people to wear a black arm band.
Deora claimed that there have been other instances of the muslim community being “mislead” by the opposition, mentioning the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and abrogation of Article 370, which stripped Jammu and Kashmir of its special status and created two new union territories.
“I can give you a few examples when the Citizenship Amendment Act was there was a fake narrative being spread by certain people in the Opposition that the CAA will lead to Muslim losing their citizenship of India, today it has been five years since CAA has been implemented. Show me one Muslim in India who has lost his or her citizenship,” Deora said.
Saying that Kashmiri Muslims have been the “biggest beneficiaries” of the abrogation of Article 370, he added, “Secondly, when (Article) 370 was being arrogated from the Constitution of India, certain opposition leaders were spreading that this is against the interests of Muslims. I have been to Kashmir personally three times after the abrogation article 370 and I can say that the biggest benefits of the abrogation of Article 370 in Kashmir are Kashmiri Muslims.”
Earlier, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and TPCC General Secretary and Congress MLC elect Addanki Dayakar criticised the Waqf (Amendment) Bill. In Hyderabad AIMIM chief and Lok Sabha MP Asaduddin Owaisi, who is also part of the Joint Parliamentary C on the Waqf bill, joined in the symbolic protest wearing a black arm band as he offered prayers on Friday.
AIMPLB’s call to Muslims to wear black arm bands as a mark of protest against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill while offering namaz on the occasion of Alvida Jumma drew a significant response. Several people were seen wearing the arm bands while offering the Friday prayers in Lucknow, Hyderabad and other cities.
(with inputs from ANI)
