“Opposition Tearing Constitution to Suit Their Agenda”: Sudhanshu Trivedi

New Delhi: BJP Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi on Monday strongly defended the recent amendments to the Waqf Act, asserting that the legislation had undergone complete constitutional scrutiny and procedure. He criticised opposition parties for rushing to the Supreme Court against the law and accused them of politicising a matter that had already received due parliamentary and presidential approval.

“The Waqf Amendment law has fulfilled all constitutional requirements,” Trivedi said, detailing that it was introduced in Parliament, reviewed by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), debated thoroughly in both Houses, and finally signed into law by the President. “Yet, opposition parties who have repeatedly undermined constitutional institutions are now turning to the courts in haste.”

His remarks came in response to multiple petitions filed in the Supreme Court challenging the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, shortly after it cleared Parliament on Friday. Trivedi questioned the credibility of these challenges, pointing out that “some parties even went to court while the Bill was still being debated.”

Calling out what he termed “competitive petitioning,” Trivedi said, “Each party going separately to court only reflects their lack of trust in one another. This is more about political one-upmanship than legal grievance.”

He also urged the opposition to refrain from making political statements after moving the judiciary. “If you’ve approached the Supreme Court, then allow the matter to be settled there. Political rhetoric only undermines the court’s dignity and the constitutional process.”

Trivedi expressed full faith in the apex court, saying, “The government has acted entirely within the constitutional framework. We are confident that the court will uphold the law.”

Meanwhile, the controversy surrounding the Waqf Act reverberated in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Monday, where MLAs from the National Conference, Congress, PDP, and Independents staged a protest demanding discussion on the law. The Speaker, Abdul Rahim Rather, refused to suspend Question Hour, leading to a 15-minute adjournment of the House.

Reacting to the uproar, Trivedi said, “It is unconstitutional for states like Tamil Nadu or Jammu and Kashmir to criticise a law passed by Parliament within their assemblies. Tearing the Bill in the J&K Assembly is akin to tearing the spirit of the Constitution itself.”

“These are the same people who carry the Constitution in their pockets but invoke it only when it suits their political agenda,” he added, calling such protests a threat to constitutional values.