By Shubhangi Chauhan
The Joint Parliamentary Committee successfully passed the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024 so that it will be presented to the upcoming Budget session. This bill intends to modify the Waqf Act 1995 by giving state Waqf boards new powers for property surveys while also implementing procedures to remove unauthorized occupations from properties.
Shahid Sayeed who heads Muslim Rashtriya Manch (MRM) viewed the bill positively, as it will empower the marginalized sectors through waqf property usage for educational programs and healthcare delivery and job creation. The Women’s Wing of MRM under Chief Shalini Ali highlighted the bill’s value for maintaining transparency and making all processes accountable and providing women better access to social development activities.
Received opposition has been directed
against this proposed piece of legislation. Eleven parliamentary members from the Opposition present at the Joint Parliamentary Committee
(JPC) submitted dissent notes which showed their belief that the bill threatened waqf properties while generating fresh disputes.
Two DMK MPs named A. Raja and M.M. Abdullah referred to it as the “Waqf Annihilation Bill” and AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi submitted a 231-page dissent note which stated that removing the “Waqf by User” provision would diminish Muslim ownership of historic mosques and dargahs. Gaurav Gogoi from Congress informed Parliament that 4.02 lakh of 8.72 lakh waqf properties belong to this category while their omission risks permanent ownership loss.
A controversial matter exists regarding the inclusion of Muslims who do not follow Islam in the Central Waqf Council.
Members of parliament from BJP and Congress maintained that removing Muslim influence from waqf administration would weaken their control while Hindu and Sikh religious laws allow only their followers to govern their endowments. Shiv Sena Member of Parliament Arvind Sawant declared clear warnings about possible societal unrest from extending this decision to additional religious laws.
The new requirement for Islamic practice as a precondition for waqf property dedication through five-year experience in Islam has appeared to many as problematic. Trinamool Congress MPs Kalyan Banerjee and Nadimul Haq condemned the bill by stating that no existing law would prevent an adult from freely distributing their property.
The recent legislation gives district collectors power to resolve all arbitration cases regarding government properties designated as waqf. The
Opposition stands against administrative settlements of such disputes which they believe should be resolved by civil courts instead.
Despite the opposition, the JPC approved the bill which will appear before Parliament.