Govt failed to address Muslim concerns: Sandeep Dikshit slams Waqf amendment Bill

New Delhi, April 5 (IANS) Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit expressed his concerns over the newly-passed Waqf (Amendment) Bill, claiming that while there were certain issues with the previous Bill, the current version fails to address the community's concerns effectively.

Regarding the Waqf Bill, Sandeep Dikshit stated, “The old Waqf Bill did have some flaws. There were issues of land grabbing, and such matters came to the forefront.

"There will be resistance, and that’s understandable. But I have always said that the Waqf Bill needed some modifications. There were instances of misuse of land, and the banking system in this country was not as efficient as it should be, which also led to losses."

"The government could have worked on improving the system instead of causing unnecessary upheaval. The Muslim community keeps asking, ‘If those with the land aren’t facing any issues, then why should others have concerns?’ Despite the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) and various efforts, if the government fails to explain the benefits to the Muslim community, it’s like the farm Bill situation."

He also mentioned that the government withdrew the farm Bill after realising the backlash.

"They might have done the same here if they had considered the political consequences. But this time, they seem unconcerned about the Muslim vote, which is deeply troubling.”

Dikshit also took a jibe at the government’s political approach, accusing the BJP of communalising every issue to further its own political agenda.

“The BJP is using every issue to stir communal sentiments to secure votes. This is the problem; the interests of the people are secondary to their political motives,” he added.

On the Ayushman Bharat Scheme, Dikshit was less optimistic, saying, “I have always been sceptical about Ayushman Bharat. It's not a groundbreaking scheme. There have been numerous issues with its implementation. I have personal experience where family members had bills exceeding Rs 5 lakh each, which is problematic."

He continued, "However if the government is providing a facility to its citizens, no state government should oppose it. If the Delhi government can improve the scheme, as Rajasthan did by increasing the coverage to Rs 25 lakh, then it’s fine. Otherwise, the five lakh benefit isn’t enough, and the government should introduce a better scheme."

The much-anticipated Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) is set to be officially launched in Delhi, marking a significant step towards expanding healthcare access for the city's most vulnerable populations.

The Delhi government is poised to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the central government, cementing the partnership to implement the scheme and provide health benefits to the poorest of families.

--IANS

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