New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Nishikant Dubey on Sunday lashed out at former chief election commissioner (CEC) SY Quraishi for slamming the recently enacted Waqf (Amendment) Act, calling it a “blatantly sinister/evil plan by the government to grab Muslim lands.” In an X post, Dubey said that Quaraishi was the election commissioner of Muslims and not India.
The BJP also also alleged that Bangladeshi infiltrators were made voters in Jharkhand during Quraishi’s tenure as the CEC. “You were not an election commissioner, you were a Muslim commissioner. The maximum number of Bangladeshi infiltrators were made voters in Jharkhand’s Santhalpargana during your tenure. Prophet Muhammad’s Islam came to India in 712, before that this land belonged to Hindus or tribals, Jains or Buddhists associated with that faith,” Dubey said in the X post.
He further stated that Quraishi should unite the country and not divide it. Dubey highlighted that Pakistan was created after the country was divided on the basis of religion.
“My village Vikramshila was burnt by Bakhtiar Khilji in 1189, Vikramshila University gave the world its first vice chancellor in the form of Atish Dipankar. Unite this country, read history, Pakistan was created by dividing it, will there be no partition now?” Dubey added.
Former CEC On Waqf Act:
On April 17, after the Supreme Court stayed several provisions of the Waqf Act, Quraishi called the act “blatantly sinister”.
“Wakf Act is undoubtedly a blatantly sinister / evil plan of the govt to grab Muslim lands. I’m sure SC will call it out. Misinformation by the mischievous propaganda machine has done its job well,” Quraishi had posted on X.
Nishikant Dubey’s Remarks On Supreme Court:
Earlier on Saturday, Dubey stirred controversy with his remarks that if the Supreme Court wants to enact laws then there is no need of Parliament. “If the Supreme Court has to make laws, then Parliament should be shut down,” Dubey had said in its X post. He also made similar remarks while speaking to ANI. “The Supreme Court is responsible for inciting religious conflicts in the country. SC is going beyond its limits. If 1 has to go to the SC for everything, then Parliament & State Assembly should be shut,” Dubey had told ANI.
Later in the day, the BJP distanced itself from Dubey’s remarks.
Supreme Court On Petitions Against Waqf Act:
On Thursday, the top court granted a week’s time to the Centre to file its response to the petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the recently enacted Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. The top court said that there would be no Waqf appointments and no change in status until the next hearing on May 5.
A three-judge bench, comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjeev Khanna, Justice PV Sanjay Kumar and Justice KV Viswanathan, also stated that Waqf, including ‘waqf by user’, provision should not be denotified. Notably, the Waqf (Amendment) Act removes the ‘Waqf by user’ provision.
The Centre assured the top court that no appointments would be made to Waqf boards. The new law includes provisions that will allow non-Muslims to be appointed to key positions within Waqf institutions like the Central Waqf Council (CWC) and the State Waqf Boards (SWB).
Earlier this month, the Centre recently notified the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, which got the assent of President Droupadi Murmu on April 5 after its passage from Parliament following heated debates in both houses.
The bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha with 128 members voting in favour and 95 opposing it. It was cleared by the Lok Sabha with 288 members supporting it and 232 against it.
<!– Published on: Sunday, April 20, 2025, 10:40 AM IST –>
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