"Time gone for opposition to see minorities as vote bank for appeasement politics": BJP's Shashank Mani

New Delhi [India], April 4 (ANI): BJP MP Shashank Mani on Friday slammed the opposition parties for their stance against the passing of the Waqf Amendment Bill in Parliament, stating that the time has passed for opposition parties to treat minorities merely as a vote bank for appeasement politics.
Mani's remark came following CPI(M) MP Rahim's comment stating that the passing of the Waqf Bill is a "black day" for secular India and that it was against the "spirit of secularism."
Mani said that opposition parties like CPI (M), Samajwadi Party (SP), and Congress have historically distorted the history of India and used minorities for political gain and emphasised that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is building a framework for development that involves all communities and ensures that every minority plays a significant role.
"By distorting the history of India, they cornered minorities and made them into a vote bank... The Prime Minister is creating a structure for development by taking everyone along and with everyone's efforts, every minority has a very important role. I want to tell CPI (M), SP, and Congress that the time is gone when they only saw minorities as a vote bank for their appeasement politics," the BJP MP said.
Speaking on the passing of the Waqf Bill, Mani called it an "auspicious moment" for the nation, noting that the legislation would benefit minorities, women, and the country as a whole.
"This is an auspicious moment for our republic... This will benefit the minorities, the country, and women... The opposition also put forward its point strongly... I thank the Prime Minister, the Home Minister, and Union Minister Kiren Rijiju," he said.
Parliament passed the Waqf Amendment Bill 2025 in the early hours of Friday after a marathon and heated debate.
Rajya Sabha sat beyond midnight to pass the legislation.
Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said, "Ayes 128 and Noes 95, Absent zero. The Bill is passed."
Lok Sabha, which took up discussion on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill on Wednesday, passed it past midnight after a marathon debate.
The government introduced the revised bill after incorporating the recommendations of the Joint Parliamentary Committee, which examined the legislation introduced in August last year. The bill seeks to amend the Act of 1995 and improve the administration and management of Waqf properties in India.
The Bill aims to overcome the shortcomings of the previous act and enhance the efficiency of Waqf boards, improving the registration process and increasing the role of technology in managing waqf records. (ANI)