Ramesh: BJP undermining India's social fabric and constitutional guarantees

In a scathing critique of the government's proposed Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh has accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of undermining India's social fabric, religious harmony, and constitutional guarantees.

- OUR CORRESPONDENT

NEW DELHI:

In a statement issued on March 23, 2025, Ramesh expressed grave concerns about the Bill's implications for minority rights and its potential to fuel religious polarisation.

Ramesh outlined five specific reasons why the Bill is fundamentally flawed. First, he argued that the Bill seeks to strip away the powers of established institutions responsible for managing waqf properties, including the national council, state boards, and tribunals. These bodies, which have traditionally safeguarded the community's rights to manage its religious affairs, would be weakened under the new law, depriving minorities of their autonomy.