Whose land …Why government amending the Waqf Bill, know everything in detail

The Waqf Amendment Bill will be introduced in Parliament today i.e. on April 2. The government will first introduce the amended bill in the Lok Sabha. The session will run till April 4.

Home Minister Amit Shah, while talking to a news agencyl on March 29, had talked about introducing the Waqf Bill in Parliament in this session (budget session).

At that time Shah had said that no one needs to be afraid of this bill. The purpose of this bill is to bring more accountability and transparency in the Waqf Boards and to ensure mandatory participation of women in these boards.

However, this bill has created resentment in the Muslim community.

What is Waqf?

Waqf is an Islamic tradition in which a person permanently dedicates his property for religious, social or virtuous work. This property permanently comes under the Waqf Board and is used for the welfare of the community. This property can be in many forms such as agricultural land, building, dargah, mosque, school, hospital, cemetery, Idgah.

Waqf Board and its role

In India, Waqf Boards are there at the local level in every state, which manage Waqf properties. The Waqf Board has a total of 9.4 lakh acres of land and 8.7 lakh properties. The total value of these properties is estimated to be up to 1.2 lakh crores, making it one of the largest landowners in India.

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Many Waqf properties have also gone to the courts due to managerial mistakes and legal disputes made by the Waqf Board.

Why is the government amending the Waqf Act?

The main objective of the proposed amendment in the Waqf Act 1995 is to bring transparency in the functioning of the Waqf Boards and make their management more effective. Currently, most of the members of the Waqf Board are elected through elections, but under the new bill, these board members will be government nominated.

Apart from this, registration and correct valuation of Waqf properties will be mandatory so that the properties can be managed properly. The government says that this amendment is necessary to increase transparency in the Waqf Board and to better manage the properties.

What changes are proposed?

Registration of Waqf properties: It will be mandatory to register Waqf properties with the District Collector so that their correct value and condition can be assessed.

 Board members: According to the new bill, all the members of the Waqf Board will now be nominated by the government. Non-Muslim people can also become members of the board and at least two members should be non-Muslims. Apart from this, the CEO of the Waqf Board can also be a non-Muslim.

 Participation of women: This bill also proposes that there should be mandatory participation of women in Waqf boards, so that equality and representation in the community can be ensured.

Objections of opposition and Muslim community

Although the government is making this amendment in the name of transparency and reform, the Muslim community and the opposition are opposing it. They say that this amendment will increase government interference in the functioning of the Waqf Board, and this will increase government interference in religious matters.

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Many people believe that this will affect the freedom of the Muslim community and there will be centralization of power in the Waqf Boards, which will hurt democratic values.

Can the decision of the Waqf Tribunal be challenged?

Yes, the decision given by the Waqf Tribunal can be challenged in the High Court. The High Court can correct or modify this decision.

Can the Waqf Board claim any property?

The Waqf Board can only claim those properties which are dedicated for religious and social purposes. The Waqf Board cannot have any claim on private properties.

Summary

The proposed amendment in the Waqf Act is an effort by the government to better manage the Waqf properties and bring more transparency in them. However, it is being opposed by the Muslim community and opposition parties, who consider it unconstitutional and an attack on religious freedom.

Now it remains to be seen how this amendment law is ultimately implemented and what impact it has.