Controversy Erupts Over Waqf Amendment Bill: AIMPLB Declines Support

AIMPLB has rejected the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, describing it as unjust and harmful to minorities. Congress MLA Arif Masood criticized the bill, while Union Home Minister Amit Shah defended it, stating that the amendment aims to enhance waqf property management. The bill has incited a heated debate in Parliament.

The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has firmly opposed the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, with Congress MLA and AIMPLB executive member, Arif Masood, labeling it a 'black law' detrimental to minorities. Masood criticized the support from political figures like Chandrababu Naidu and Nitish Kumar, predicting its inevitable passage but emphasizing that no minority person would accept it. The bill, he argued, offers no protection for waqf properties, instead shifting power to government officials, which could lead to the harassment of specific communities.

Masood further condemned the BJP's purported concern for women's welfare, framing it as insincere. He challenged them to act against any Congress or Muslim leaders illegally occupying waqf property. The question, he posed, is who truly wielded power at the national level over the past decade?

In Parliament, Union Home Minister Amit Shah rebuffed criticisms from the Opposition, asserting the bill's intent to improve the management of waqf properties, not interfere with religious practices. Shah insisted that the legislation is not retroactively applicable, accusing opponents of sowing confusion and fear among Muslims. Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju emphasized the potential benefits for education and economic development of poor Muslims, presenting the bill alongside the Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill. The legislation, scrutinized by a Joint Parliamentary Committee, seeks to refine the 1995 Act and streamline waqf administration through enhanced technological integration.