The Central Government introduced the Waqf Board Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha on Thursday. As soon as this bill is presented in the House, the Waqf Board is once again in the news. This amendment bill is being opposed by calling it anti-Muslim. AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi has openly expressed his views against the amendments in the Waqf Board.
Owaisi said that the central government is continuously raising questions on the properties of the Waqf Board. Waqf Board is being compared with the economies of small Gulf countries. India is a very big country, it is wrong to compare it with small Gulf countries. This amendment bill of the government violates the rules of Articles 14, 15 and 25 of the Constitution. This bill violates the basic structure of the Constitution.
He said that the Central Government is saying that from now on there will be no Waqf by user. This means that the person donating his property to the Waqf Board must remain a Muslim for five years. But this does not happen in Hindu society. Bihar Endowment has three boards, Hindu Endowment Board, Shwetambar Jain Endowment Board and Digambar Endowment Board. Who become their members? Can their members become Muslims? Can’t become. Go to Punjab and Haryana, can a Muslim become a member of the Gurdwara Committee there? Cannot be made. There is no law regarding to whom any citizen of India can give his property. Anyone can also make a gift. Our Hindu brothers can give their entire property to one of their children through a will. The work that the government is doing is against Articles 14, 15 and 25 of the Constitution.
Government wants to snatch Waqf property
On the question of increase in Waqf property, Owaisi said that the government has been questioning from the beginning that the property of Waqf Board has increased exponentially. People are giving property to the Waqf Board, there are proper documents for it. Work is being done as per rules and regulations. But the BJP government is worried that how is the Waqf property increasing so much? The government does not want to save the property of the Waqf Board, it has no intention of doing so. This is what we want to prove. And it is being proved true.
On the question that Waqf Board can claim any property. On this Owaisi said that this does not happen, this confusion is being spread. Waqf Board cases are heard in the Tribunal and appeals are also made against them in the High Court. You can go to the High Court against the tribunal’s decision, there is no restriction on this. This can be done by filing a revision petition. In the revision petition you have to show patent illegality. Modi ji is saying that now the tribunal will have a retired district judge and a retired government employee. But now it is being said that an appeal can be made in the High Court against the Tribunal’s decision. But this happened earlier also. These people are lying.
We are burnt by milk, we drink even buttermilk in a gushing manner.
Owaisi said that anyway the Survey Commissioner is not of the Waqf Board but of the government, it is the government that issues the gadget. Here the government is citing Section 14 but it is the job of the CO to decide how to utilize the unused property of the Waqf Board. But with these amendments you took away that too. There is a need to understand this false propaganda of the government.
He said that the Waqf Board is not claiming the Taj Mahal land as its own. There is a mosque inside the Taj Mahal and the Sunni Waqf Board has taken up this matter. Sunni Waqf Board’s CO is Jufair Faruqui Saheb. Who has appointed him? He is a government man. Let me tell you that in 1965, with the permission of the Sunni Waqf Board, an agreement was signed between Krishnajanmabhoomi and the Waqf Board in Mathura, under which eight acres of Waqf Board land was given to our Hindu brothers. We are jealous of milk, we will drink buttermilk too.
Owaisi said that about the person from Tamil Nadu whose land is being talked about being taken over by the Waqf Board, let me tell you that the survey commissioner of the land of that village is of the state government, after doing the survey he said that the land belongs to the Waqf Board. . One year’s objection time was given to Muslims. There is no time limit for non-Muslims. Tamil Nadu government issued gadget notification. You challenge this decision in the court, who is stopping you? What Kiren Rijiju said in Parliament, I want to ask him whether he saw only 15 cases out of Rs 1 lakh properties. In Hyderabad, people go to the High Court against the Waqf Board, in many cases the Waqf Board has faced legal defeat.
Why should there not be Waqf Tribunal on the basis of religion?
Owaisi said that Hindu Endowment Board has summer eviction power. There are many tribunals where this happens. This government is saying that the tribunal will have a retired judge and a government employee. I want to say why there should not be a tribunal on the basis of religion? What law does not allow on the basis of religion? The tribunal has been going on for so many years. The Supreme Court also accepts its existence. The court has also given its verdict against the decisions of the Waqf Board. His decisions have also been accepted. What should I do if I have problems with RSS? If it is constitutionally recognized then it is going on. Waqf land is private land, not government land. Muslims have bought it with their own money and given it to Waqf. Muslims have not taken that land by taking possession from the government.
Central government should include Bilkis Bano in Waqf Board
On the question related to inclusion of women in the Waqf Board, Owaisi said that we have no objection to women at all. I say that Bilkis Bano and Zakia Jaffrey should be made members of the board. Were there no Muslim women on the board before? How much will this government lie?
Owaisi said that I am talking about constitutional reality. This government is saying that they will create Waqf for Aagakhanis. I want to tell you through you that there was an orphanage for Agakhani children in Mumbai, which was bought by an influential person for Rs 25 crore and a luxurious building was built in its place. If the government is so concerned about the orphanages, then why was that orphanage allowed to be demolished? Another important thing is that in Section 52 of the existing law, it was said that there was a provision of severe punishment for selling Waqf properties, whereas in the new amendment it has been changed to simple punishment. Will the central government work like this?
This bill was brought in view of Maharashtra, Haryana elections
Owaisi said that the government’s agenda is related to Hindutva ideology. This is not NDA government but BJP government. The government is still arrogant. There are elections in Maharashtra and Haryana, so the government is trying to send a message to its vote bank that we are controlling it. You are saying that a Hindu cannot do Waqf but a Hindu can become a member. These people are enemies of Muslims and want to abolish the Waqf Board.
I will not betray the Muslim community
Owaisi said that whenever the date is written, it will be said that Owaisi had given notice to the Speaker under Rule 72 against the Waqf laws. We had exposed the government. I will fulfill my responsibilities. At least people will not say about me that I did not betray the Muslim community.
Let us tell you that on Wednesday, the Modi government had introduced an amendment bill in the Lok Sabha to make changes in the Waqf Board Act. There was an uproar in Parliament regarding this bill. During this time, while the opposition created a ruckus, from the ruling party, Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju explained in detail why there was a need to bring this bill.
Seeking support from the opposition, Rijiju had said that support this bill, you will get the blessings of crores of people. A few people have taken over the entire Waqf Board. And this bill has been brought to correct the justice that the common Muslim people did not get. It will be recorded in history who supported this bill and who opposed it.