The problems that Indias new Waqf Bill will cause for Muslims
A controversial bill to amend the Muslim Property Management Act has been passed in the Indian Parliament. The bill, introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindutva government, has been opposed by Muslim organizations and opposition parties.
The bill proposes that non-Muslims can also be included in the ‘Wakf’ property management board. In addition, the government’s power to verify the ownership of wakf land will also increase. The government, however, says that this will reduce corruption, make management fair and increase diversity. But critics say that this bill will hit the rights of Muslim minorities. And many historical properties, including old mosques, will be confiscated. There was a heated debate in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha of India over the bill. Discussions in the Lok Sabha continued from Wednesday to Thursday morning. And there was intense rhetoric in the Rajya Sabha for 16 hours.
The opposition Congress said that this bill is unconstitutional and discriminatory against Muslims. Despite not having a majority in the Lok Sabha, Modi’s BJP has managed to get the bill passed with the support of its allies.
In the Lok Sabha, 288 MPs voted in favour of the bill, while 232 voted against it. In the Rajya Sabha, 128 voted in favour of the bill and 95 against it. The bill will now be sent to President Droupadi Murmu for his assent to become a law.
The bill was introduced by Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju to amend a 1995 law. That law had laid down the rules and regulations for waqf properties. A state-level board was formed to administer it.
Many Muslim organisations and opposition parties say that the bill is discriminatory, politically motivated and nothing more than an attempt to curtail the rights of minorities.
The bill was first introduced in Parliament last year. Opposition parties say that although they have since proposed some amendments, they have not been taken into account. The government claims that the opposition is spreading rumors and obstructing transparency in the management of waqf properties.
What is waqf?
Waqf is an ancient system of Islamic endowment. Through waqf, a person permanently donates a property, usually land, for religious or charitable purposes. Such waqf properties cannot be sold or transferred to anyone.
There are about 872,000 properties under waqf boards in India. Their total area is about 1 million acres. Their total value is estimated to be about $14.22 billion. The history of many of these properties is centuries old. Most of them are used for public welfare purposes such as mosques, madrasas, cemeteries and orphanages.
New law will change the management of waqf
In India, waqf properties are managed by a semi-government board. This board is formed separately in each state and union territory. The new law states that it will be mandatory to include non-Muslim members in these boards.
Until now, only Muslims have been members of the Waqf Board. Other religious charities in India are also run by members of their own religion.
In a parliamentary debate, Home Minister Amit Shah said that non-Muslim members will only perform administrative duties and help in managing the property. They will not interfere in religious matters. He said, “Non-Muslim members will only monitor whether the board is following the law and whether the donated property is being used properly.” However, organizations like the All India Muslim Personal Law Board say that this statement is against the basic spirit of the Islamic Waqf system. According to them, the Waqf Board should be run by Muslims. They see it as a direct interference in the constitutional rights of Muslim citizens. The board has called on the common people to take to the streets against this bill. The problems that Indias
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said, “When people of other religions are not allowed to be in the management committee of Hindu temples, then why should non-Muslims be kept in the Waqf Board?”
