Congress says it will challenge constitutionality of Waqf Amendment Bill in court

The Congress on Friday said that it will soon challenge the constitutionality of the Waqf Amendment Bill in the Supreme Court.

“We are confident and will continue to resist all assaults of the Modi government on the principles, provisions, and practices that are contained in the Constitution of India,” Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said on social media.

On Friday, the Rajya Sabha passed the Waqf Bill, with 128 votes in favour and 95 against, following a 14-hour debate. The bill was passed in the Lok Sabha at around 2 am on Thursday with 288 votes in favour and 232 against. It now awaits the president’s assent.

Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, said on Wednesday that the bill was an “attack on the Constitution by the RSS [Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh], BJP and their allies”.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is the parent organisation of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

“The Congress party strongly opposes this legislation as it attacks the very idea of India and violates Article 25, the Right to Freedom of Religion,” Gandhi had said.

Congress MP Syed Naseer Hussain said in the Rajya Sabha that the bill was a “targeted legislation against the Muslim community” and that it intended to make Muslims “second-class citizens” of the country.

On Thursday, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin criticised the passage of...

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