Leaders unite against Waqf Amendment Bill

MPs, cutting across party lines, condemned the Waqf Amendment Bill as divisive, and said that the Narendra Modi government would eventually grab land belonging to even gurudwaras, churches and temples.

Public representatives converged on Tuesday night under the banner of the All India Majlis-e-Tameer-e-Millat and the Indian Muslims for Civil Rights, to protest against the Bill.

Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh, who is part of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), criticised a clause in the Bill that says only those practising Islam for at least five years can be a waqif (one who creates waqf). He questioned how the government intends to assess this requirement. “How will you determine who has been practising Islam for five years, Prime Minister? Will you install CCTV cameras in the houses of Muslims to monitor whether they pray five times a day? Will you decide based on whether they attend Friday prayers, and only then consider them Muslim?” he asked.

Mr. Singh said that the struggle to protect waqf is not that of Muslims alone. “The Modi government will eventually try to grab lands belonging to Sikhs, Christians, and Hindus.” He suggested that Muslims should enter into a dialogue with members of Gurudwara committees, churches and temples so as to widen the ambit of the movement.

Rajya Sabha member Syed Nasir Hussain, who is also a member of the JPC, said that JPC members have been questioning each provision, and clause of the Bill. Answers on a host of questions, including information against those who complained against waqf, the data the government has gathered, and statistics collated have been sought.

“But the Ministry of Minority Affairs has no answers, and there is no logic. They do not know waqf boards do not own a single property. Institutions own property, not the waqf board,” he said.

Jamaat-e-Islami Hind president Syed Sadatullah Hussaini emphasised that waqf is a religious issue. Amendment of waqf laws is unconstitutional, and one of BJP’s several attempts to violating the spirit of the Constitution, he said.

Jail bharo

All India Muslim Personal Board (AIMPLB) president Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani said that demonstrations against the Bill must remain peaceful, and within the boundaries of the Constitution. He encouraged the public to join a ‘jail bharo’ movement, if and when the AIMPLB calls for it.

Adviser to Telangana Government on Minorities Welfare Mohammed Ali Shabbir, former Union Minister K. Rahman Khan, and Lok Sabha member Maulana Mohibullah Nadwi also spoke.