Waqf Bill bid to meddle in minority affairs: SGPC

Reacting to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) termed it as an attempt to weaken the constitutional rights of the minorities.

SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami said it was a direct interference by the Centre in minority-related matters while asserting that it was introduced without consulting the parties concerned.

“We oppose it outrightly and demand it to be withdrawn. It appears as if the Centre's intent is to curtail the minority rights and administer matters according to its own agenda. Such legislation would negatively impact the rights and concern of the minority communities,” he said.

Dhami also pointed out that the Centre  had previously attempted to suppress the minorities through measures such as the introduction of the Uniform Civil Code, which directly interfered with the personal laws and religious beliefs of various communities.

“Similarly, the Agniveer recruitment scheme instead of the direct recruitment in the Army was another attempt to take away the reservation rights of minorities," he said.