MP starts campaign against enemy property bill

Even as the Select Committee appointed by the Rajya Sabha to discuss the Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Bill 2016 suggested strongly that the bill must not be passed in its current form, the Centre, keen on passing the bill, has listed the same, prompting a signature campaign that petitions the chairman of RS to intervene in the matter and ensure it is not allowed to be passed in its current form. Member of Parliament (MP) from Maharashtra Hussain Dalwai is facilitating the campaign and has said that following in the footsteps of Pakistan would be undemocratic.

The BJP government, since the start of the year, has been trying to pass the Enemy Property Bill 2016 and had passed an ordinance in January which was repromulgated twice thereafter, making obvious its intent to take over properties belonging to not only people who have migrated to Pakistan, China and Bangladesh but even their successors who are legitimate Indian citizens.

The Select Committee comprising MPs and experts gave its report against the Bill and also submitted its amendments. However, the ruling party has tried to get the bill passed without including the amendments on the pretext that the Pakistan government took over properties belonging to people who migrated to India a long time ago, and hence the Indian government should follow suit.

“The Enemy Property Bill is a regressive piece of legislation. The government argues that Pakistan also did the same but it is not a valid argument because Pakistan is not truly a democratic state. India cannot afford to do that,” said Mr Dalwai, who was in New Delhi hosting an Eid Milan party on Wednesday.

Sources close to Mr Dalwai said the petition objects to the retrospective application of the bill as it will affect the rights of legitimate Indian citizens to succeed and own property. The second objection is to the bill widening the definition of ‘enemy subject’ by including Indian citizens even though they have proved their loyalty by staying back. The third, fourth and fifth point dwells on discriminatory provisions of the bill, nullifying legal transactions and court judgments all of which violate the Constitution.

The bill did not come up for discussion in the previous two weeks and is expected to come up for discussion next week.