‘Like Mahatma Gandhi, I tear this…’ Owaisi tears Waqf Bill in House

New Delhi: The Waqf Bill, which ignored the concerns and worries of the Muslim community in the country, violated parliamentary rules and conventions and retained all the controversial provisions, was passed in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. Following this, the chief of AIMIM and the MP from Hyderabad, Asaduddin Owaisi, staged a dramatic protest in the House, tearing the bill, citing Mahatma Gandhi’s act in South Africa.

Owaisi said that if one reads history, one will see what Mahatma Gandhi said about the laws of white South Africa, “My conscience doesn't accept this”. Owaisi reminded that Gandhiji tore the law and said that he was tearing up the Waqf Bill.

Owaisi said that the bill was unconstitutional and that what the BJP wanted was to create divisiveness in the country in the name of temples and mosques. He said that he condemned the bill and requested “you to accept the 10 amendments”.

Owaisi was responding to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement, "A member even said the minorities won't even accept it. Who are you trying to scare? It's the parliament's law, everyone will follow and accept it".

The Opposition stood stern in their stance and did not even attempt sloganeering, protests or walkouts. They kept arguing their case without yielding ground to the government, which already has the numbers, NDTV reported.

When 232 MPs opposed the bill in the House, 288 supported it. When the ruling NDA had 293 members, it received five fewer votes, which went in support of the Opposition, which had 223 members. The voting procedure began at 12:06 am on Thursday after the discussion on the bill and the reply of Minister Kiren Rijiju. It was at 1:45 pm when the voting ended.