Owaisi Sees ‘Hindutva Agenda’ Behind Proposed Bill To Curb Waqf Powers, Warns Of Administrative Chaos

New Delhi: Amid reports that the Centre is planning to amend the Wakf Act, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday alleged that the Narendra Modi dispensation trying to undermine Waqf Board’s independence and curtail religious freedom.

“Firstly, when Parliament is in session, the central government is acting against parliamentary supremacy and privileges and informing the media and not informing Parliament. I can say that whatever has been written in the media about this proposed amendment shows that the Modi government wants to take away the autonomy of the Waqf Board and it wants to interfere… This itself is against the freedom of religion,” he told ANI.

Claiming a Hindutva agenda behind this move, the Hyderabad MP further alleged that the BJP has always been against these boards and Waqf properties. “…Now if you make amendments to the establishment and composition of the Waqf board, then there will be an administrative chaos, loss of autonomy of the Waqf board and if the control of the government increases over the Waqf Board, then the independence of Waqf will be affected. In the media report it is written that if there is any disputed property, then these people will say that the property is disputed, we will get it surveyed. The survey will be conducted by the BJP, CMs and you know what will be its result. There are many such dargahs in our India where BJP-RSS claims that they are not dargahs and mosques, so the executive is trying to snatch the power of the judiciary…,” he added.

The bill approved by the Union Cabinet on Friday is likely to propose around 40 amendments to the Waqf Act, including a check on sweeping powers of the Waqf boards to declare any land as its own property, and also ensure representation for women, the ET reported, quoting sources.

The major amendments proposed by the draft legislation include restructuring of Waqf boards, changing the composition of boards and ensuring verification of the land before the board announces it as the property of Waqf. It has also proposed amendments to Section 9 and Section 14 to alter the composition and functioning of the Waqf Boards to ensure representation for women. While properties claimed by Waqf Boards will also undergo fresh verification to resolve disputes, Magistrates may be involved in monitoring its properties to prevent their misuse.

The government is planning to introduce the bill in Parliament in the coming week.

There are around 8.7 lakh properties under Waqf Boards across the country and the total land under these properties is around 9.4 lakh acres. In 2013, the UPA government bolstered the authority of these boards through amendments to the original Waqf Act, 1995, giving them extensive powers to acquire properties, which even could not be challenged in any court of law.