Independent MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav won accolades for his speech in Lok Sabha during the Waqf (Amendment) Bill debate.The Bill is now an Act. Pappu said those opposed to the implementation Mandal Commission Report and reservation for he Backward Classes conspired to weaken the Muslim community by bringing out this Bill.
Raising the issue of Mandal Commission Report and Reservation, he said the people who brought the Waqf Bill are the same who brought Kamandal against Mandal. He claimed that, at that time, 13,000 people of the backward class were massacred.
Declaring the Bill as unacceptable, Pappu Yadav said it was a conspiracy to mislead the public. He accused the BJP and its allies of diverting the focus from main issues.
Pappu proposed four amendments, but they got summarily rejected. He said that there was a question about the government’s intention, as the Bill was against the interests of the minority, the poor, and backward classes.
He asked the House when did Islam grab any land? He questioned how the land of the poor and Adivasis went to zamindars. He said those lands were grabbed in British time and handed over to zamindars.
He questioned the intention of the ruling party over their claim that the Bill was in the interest of Muslim women and said if it was true, why no reservation was given to the women of backward class and Dalit community?
Referring to BJP, Pappu asked if they offer even a single election ticket to Muslims. He said this showed their intention.
Pappu Yadav was hailed for his Waqf Bill speech by his supporters on his social media page. They thanked him for opposing the ‘anti-constitution’ and anti-minority Bill. But the Purnia MP was trolled also by the Hindutva-leaning handles, particularly for his comments on the land grabbing by the zamindars.
Later, in an interview,Pappu Yadav asserted that the Muslims were being targeted by BJP. He said that the Muslims were demeaned by branding them as ‘Child machine’. He asked who said to identify ‘Muslims’ by their clothes. Referring to the last ten years of BJP rule, he asked who said ‘Batogetoukatoge.’
“They accuse anyone as a terrorist. They call to boycott Muslim shopkeepers. They brand Madrasas as terror centres. They raise slogans like Qabristan-Shamsan”, reminded Pappu Yadav.
He said there should not be any interference in religious matters. He asked why the BJP opposed Muslim reservation while they claim to be well-wisher of them.