Opposition misleading Muslims on Waqf Bill, no threat to board's properties: BJP

New Delhi: The BJP on Monday accused the opposition parties of “misleading” Muslims on the proposed amendments to the Waqf Act and asserted that not “an inch” of waqf properties with clear titles will be taken away if the bill gets Parliament’s nod.

The accusation came amid a host of Muslim organisations, led by the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, protesting the Waqf (Amendment) Bill here, with several MPs joining in support.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi cautioned the NDA constituents like TDP, JD(U) and LJP (Ramvilas) that Muslims will never forgive them if they support this legislation.

Asked for comment, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya said, “The politics of vote bank in the country has always been based on fearmongering that has been the modus operandi of all of these so-called secular parties.” “Let me assure everybody that the intent of the government in bringing about the Waqf Bill was to bring about professionalism, good management and transparency in the management of Waqf properties,” he told a press conference at the BJP headquarters here.

The Bangalore South MP said the government has ensured that the powers of the Waqf Board are not abused to encroach on lands that did not belong to it.

“All those institutions which have clear titles, all those places of religious worship that have been in existence for years together, not a single one of them have fear from the new Waqf law,” Surya said.

Attempts are being made to mislead Muslims, he charged, asserting, "Not an inch of such lands will be taken away." Slamming the opposition parties, he alleged that those who call themselves secular parties did nothing for the Muslims, except always making efforts to scare and mislead them.

“The government intends to make the Waqf Boards more stronger,” he added.