Congress leader expresses solidarity with Imran Pratapgarhi over Waqf bill debate

National Coordinator of the AICC Minority Department and Incharge of Manipur, Rajesh Kumar Sethi, has expressed full solidarity with Imran Pratapgarhi, MP from Maharashtra, for what he described as a “bold, passionate, and uncompromising” speech in the Rajya Sabha during the debate on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025.

Calling Pratapgarhi’s address “not just a political intervention” but “the heartfelt cry of a community feeling targeted, marginalized, and unheard,” Sethi criticized the passing of the bill, stating it was done “amidst significant opposition and without meaningful consultation with stakeholders.”

Terming the bill “an affront to the constitutional guarantees of minority rights and religious freedom,” Sethi said Imran Pratapgarhi rightly described it as a “bill of despair” and a symbol of the government’s “deliberate attempts to erode the institutional safeguards that protect the socio-cultural fabric of India’s pluralism.”

Sethi further appreciated Pratapgarhi’s reminder of the Muslim community’s historic contributions to the nation, saying that his mention of “Ashfaqullah Khan, Brigadier Usman, and Abdul Hamid” was “not just emotional; it was necessary.” “In a time where the politics of division threaten to overshadow our shared legacy,” Sethi added, “his voice served as a reminder of the sacrifices made by Indian Muslims for the nation’s unity and sovereignty.”

Warning against broader implications, Sethi stated, “We must not overlook the dangerous pattern emerging under the BJP-led government. Today, they have their eyes on Waqf properties; tomorrow, it could be the sacred lands of Sikhs, Christians, Jains, Buddhists, and other religious minorities.” He alleged that the government’s motive was “not about reform” but “a calculated agenda to dispossess communities of their heritage and transfer those lands to crony capitalist friends of the regime.” He cited a recent report in The Telegraph on the systematic targeting of Catholic Church land as “a stark example of this strategy in action.”

Lauding Pratapgarhi’s stand, Sethi also said, “Congress leader Sethi also appreciated his Chairman and MP Rajya Sabha Shri Imran Pratapgarhi’s fearless stand against NDA allies who chose political convenience over constitutional morality.” He quoted Pratapgarhi’s words, “Waqf koi chanda nahi, jo siyasat ki thaali mein paros diya jaye,” saying they “perfectly captured the sentiment of betrayal felt by many.”

Reaffirming the Congress Party’s position, Sethi concluded, “The Congress Party will continue to oppose every attempt to dilute the rights of minorities.”

MT