Owaisi Slams Centre's Waqf Amendment Bill as Threat to Muslim Rights

AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi criticizes the Centre over the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, claiming it endangers Muslim rights and violates constitutional principles. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju defends the bill, stating it aims to address mafia control over Waqf Boards and has seen extensive consultations.

Launching a scathing attack on the Centre over the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, AIMIM Chief and Hyderabad MP, Asaduddin Owaisi, alleged on Tuesday that the proposed legislation contains several dangerous sections aimed at undermining Waqf and marginalizing Muslims. 'This is not legislation but a move to bulldoze Waqf and finish Muslims,' Owaisi asserted.

'Before the Bill's introduction, we had sent a notice to the Speaker under Rule 72, expressing our opposition. We believe this Bill blatantly violates Articles 14, 15, and 25, infringing on the Constitution’s basic structure, judicial independence, and the separation of powers,' he emphasized. Owaisi accused the Bill of enabling right-wing groups to unjustly claim mosques and dargahs and criticised the requirement for historical documents that might not exist after centuries.

'The Bill includes several dangerous clauses that do nothing but aim to dismantle the Waqf Board,' said Owaisi. He also highlighted the amendment's controversial stipulation that only Muslims who have practiced the religion for at least five years can establish Waqf, calling it a severe breach of religious freedom.

On the other hand, Union Minister of Minority Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, refuted the AIMIM Chief's claims, accusing the Opposition of misleading the Muslim community about the Bill. Rijiju said Muslim delegations had approached him with concerns about mafia control over Waqf Boards, necessitating the amendments.

'The government has conducted multi-layered consultations nationwide on this Bill,' Rijiju stated, mentioning that these consultations started as far back as 2015. He also introduced the Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill, 2024, aimed at repealing the Mussalman Wakf Act of 1923.

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 seeks to rename the Waqf Act of 1995, as the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development Act, 1995. It aims to redefine 'waqf' and ensure it includes only those who have practiced Islam for five years and possess property ownership. The bill also seeks to omit 'waqf by user' provisions, delegate Survey Commissioner roles to Collectors, and include broader representation on the Waqf Boards, including Muslim women and non-Muslims.

The bill aims to establish a separate Board of Auqaf for Boharas and Aghakhanis and ensure fair representation across various Muslim communities. It proposes a streamlined registration process for waqfs via a central portal and a detailed procedure for property mutation. Furthermore, the bill seeks to reform the Tribunal structure, ensuring appeals can be made to the High Court within 90 days.