Waqf Act amendments likely to be introduced first in Rajya Sabha: Sources

New Delhi [India], 5 August (ANI): The amendments to the Waqf Board Act that are likely to restrict the power of the Waqf Board are likely to be introduced first in Rajya Sabha. Sources have told ANI that the Government could move to bring the amendments within this week. The budget session of the Parliament is concluding on August 12.

According to the sources, the government interacted and took suggestions from various Muslims intellectuals and organisations to introduce reforms before bringing amendments. 32-40 amendments are being considered in the Waqf Board Act.

Waqf Act was first passed by Parliament in 1954. Subsequently, it was repealed and a new Waqf Act was passed in 1995 which gave more powers to Waqf Boards. In 2013, this Act was further amended to give far-reaching powers to the Waqf Board to designate the property as ‘Waqf Property’.

According to sources the proposed amendments are likely to make it mandatory for the Waqf Board to register its property in the District Collector’s office so that the property can be evaluated. The amendments also aim to enhance inclusivity by ensuring women’s representation on the Central Waqf Council and state boards.

UP minister Danish Azad Ansari said that complaints had been received about encroachment and misusing of Waqf property.

“The properties of the Waqf board should be used for the upliftment of the people of the Muslim community. However, we were receiving complaints of encroachment, misusing the lands, etc… The Modi and Yogi government believes in the interest of the Muslim community. We must protect their interests. The properties of the Waqf Board should be used in the construction of hospitals, schools and colleges for the benefit of the Muslim community,” he said.

The proposed amendments have drawn sharp criticism from the opposition which has accused the central government of diverting from real issues.

CPI General Secretary D Raja said, “The media reports in the public domain on the issue of amendments to the Waqf Board Act have already created strong apprehensions in the minds of minorities, particularly Muslims. People started foreseeing a sinister design of carrying out the BJP-RSS agenda of putting an end to Waqf and snatching away the Waqf properties and there is no proper public debate in the country. The BJP-RSS is trying to take measures one after another like this. Already HM Amit Shah has been justifying the 3 criminal laws and there is a country-wide protest against those 3 criminal laws. Now, these amendments to the Waqf Board are being proposed and there is no public debate and no debate inside or outside Parliament. BJP-RSS tries to impose its sinister agenda on the people. It is going to be a grave threat to the secular, democratic fabric of our society and the Constitution. Already the Constitution is being tampered with in all possible ways by BJP-RSS.”

Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav said that Bhartiya Janata Party wants to “snatch the rights of Muslim Brothers” after reports of the government’s plans to amend the Waqf Board Act came out.

“BJP has no work except Hindu-Muslim or how to snatch the rights of Muslim brothers. The rights they have got, the right to freedom or the right to follow their religion, the right to maintain their working system,” Akhilesh Yadav said

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said, “Centre is not working for public welfare. They have nothing to do with the welfare of the poor of the country, or with inflation, or with poverty, or unemployment. People should get a good education and good health facilities. Factories and industries should be set up in poor states like Bihar, BJP has nothing to do with it. It wants to do politics by just doing polarisation and Hindu-Muslim.”

With the battlelines drawn on the issue the Parliament could witness stormy scenes when the amendments are introduced in the house.