New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies in the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Thursday defended the Waqf (Amendment) Bill as a progressive legislation, drafted with the intention to strengthen the Waqf boards and to ensure that the rights of women, children and the deprived sections are protected.
Union minority affairs minister Kiren Rijiju tabled the bill for passage in the Rajya Sabha, where discussions were underway till the time of going to press. The Lok Sabha passed the bill with a 288-232 vote in the early hours of Thursday after over a marathon debate lasting over 12 hours.
Several BJP’s allies — the Janata Dal (United), the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), the Janata Dal (Secular), the Shiv Sena, and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) — supported the bill in the Upper House.
Tabling the bill, Rijiju said it aims to usher in transparency, accountability and efficiency in the management of Waqf properties, asserting that only a Muslim can become a Waqif’ and that the question of the majority of members on the Central Waqf Council being non-Muslims does not arise.
He also slammed the previous Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government for transferring 123 “prime properties” in the national capital to the Waqf Board, even as the case was sub judice. Taking a swipe at the Opposition, he quipped: “Some people say even Parliament is on Waqf property.”
While the Opposition accused the government of impinging the rights of the minorities by amending the bill, he said the allegations of interference in religious affairs are false. “It has been said here that Muslims will be harmed by the step we are taking. Many people said this is unconstitutional, illegal and the right of Muslims is being snatched away… Very categorically, I want to reject all these allegations,” he added.
Rijiju said the revised legislation to be known as UMEED (Unified Waqf Management Empowerment Efficiency and Development), marks a new beginning.
He noted that the bill includes recommendations for strengthening the board, made by at least three committees, including the most recent Sachar Committee, which was set up to prepare a report on the social, economic and educational status of the Muslims in India. “All major recommendations by these three committees are included in the bill, and these were all set up by the Congress and the UPA government…the Modi government is only doing what the previous governments did not,” he said.
Taking part in the debate, leader of the House and BJP president JP Nadda slammed the Opposition for their “misleading narrative” and said the government under PM Modi is “fully committed to upholding democratic norms and proceeding in a transparent and lawful manner.”
Nadda said, “This bill removes the concept of Waqf by User and allows only declarations through endowment, with donors required to be practicing Muslims for at least five years. While I do not wish to bring religious matters into this discussion or make any uncomfortable statements, it is important to ensure the genuineness of donors…”
The Opposition also questioned the motive to regulate Waqf, pointing out that similar attempts were not made to ensure streamlining of temples, gurdwaras and churches. When former Union minister Kapil Sibal referred to land under religious trusts in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and said there should be reforms within Hindu religion too, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in Tamil Nadu, HR & CE (Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments) department is with the state government.
“Government-appointed people monitor it, they execute it, and they run it. In the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam, the executive officer is appointed by the government of Andhra Pradesh. The Endowment Board has people appointed by the Andhra Pradesh government and the entire system is under the government of Andhra Pradesh,” she added.
JD(U) working president Sanjay Jha termed the bill “progressive”, saying his party had held detailed discussions with representatives of religious and social organisations to hear their concerns. “We had a caste census in the state and Pasamanda Muslims are about 73% of the population… and they had no representation in the Waqf Boards. It is for the first time that the rights of Pasmanda Muslims are being addressed,” he said.