India Rejects Pakistan's 'Baseless' Remarks On Waqf Law: 'Look At Your Own Abysmal Record'

Shredding Pakistan for its comments on the Waqf (Amendment) Act, which was passed by Parliament on April 4 and got the President's assent a day later, India has said the country has no standing on the issue and should look at its own "abysmal record" in protecting the rights of minorities.

"We strongly reject the motivated and baseless comments made by Pakistan on the Waqf Amendment Act enacted by the Parliament of India. Pakistan has no locus standi to comment on a matter that is internal to India. Pakistan would do better to look at its own abysmal record when it comes to protecting the rights of minorities, instead of preaching to others," Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Tuesday.

The Waqf Bill cleared Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha comfortably, albeit after heated debates, on consecutive days and got the President's nod on April 5. The government has said the Act is about property and management, not religion, and argued that a very large amount of land had been taken over in the name of Waqf.