Waqf Act Amendment Bill may soon be presented in Parliament. Many Muslim leaders including Asaduddin Owaisi are calling this change a tampering with religious freedom. Meanwhile, Waqf Welfare Forum Chairman Javed Ahmed said that the government’s intention was right and claimed that if the new bill can be implemented properly, the minority will benefit a lot. aajtak.in talked to him on many aspects related to Waqf.
Question: There was a change in Waqf 10 years ago, is there a need for change again?
Answer- Yes, amendment is part of the regular process of the government. Changes happen according to the needs of that era. Like, the amendments were made keeping in mind the sentiments in the year 2013. But there was room for improvement. Therefore now the question of reform arose again. For example, Waqf does not have the power to remove unauthorized encroachment. He can say it but the DM is not bound to accept it. Because of this, Waqf land gets encroached upon.
Question: It is said that Waqf takes possession of people’s property. Like a southern village or a thousands-year-old temple.
Answer: See. This is all a system. Mistakes remain in the system. Often one fish pollutes the pond, but the blame falls on everyone else. If someone makes such wild claims, it does not mean that the entire board is wrong.
Question- If Waqf is claimed, then the true owner with the raw documents of the property is also left behind. Also known as Once a Waqf…Always Waqf. What does it mean.
Answer- The Supreme Court had said this in 1998. Waqf is that property which is donated by followers of Islam. Waqf is done in the name of Allah in full consciousness. Once any wealth is donated in the name of Allah, its context cannot change. That is why it is called once Waqf…always Waqf. But the narrative of grabbing property by making false claims is wrong.
A survey is conducted in which government officials are also involved. Then the gadget comes out. If another claimant comes within 6 months to a year, it can also be changed. Waqf surveys its property every 10 years. State governments have the authority. She doesn’t see it properly.
Question: Regarding the amendment in Waqf, it is being said that this is an attempt to reduce its power. Why so.
Answer- The intention of the government seems right. She will work in public interest. If there is verification of Waqf property then many missing properties will be returned. But all this will happen only when the intentions are right. The bill is definitely correct. The government had also brought the Farmers Law. NRC also. These were correct but the government could not maintain them properly.
Question- What do you mean by intention?
Answer- Verification of Waqf property will be done by the Revenue Department. There is a problem here. Someone else will investigate someone else’s ownership rights. Although the Revenue Department also takes care of the property of other departments, it is not its owner. If the government’s intention turns out to be different during investigation, then whatever the Revenue Department says will remain the Waqf property. For example, there are currently 123 disputed properties in Delhi. There is a tussle between the government and Waqf. Revenue will survey it. If the intentions are right then things will get done.
Question- Where did Waqf get so much wealth from?
Answer- There is a system of charity in every religion. In Waqf, not only land, garden, pond, house, cash, everything is given. With this, schools, colleges, Imambara, Sarai, Madrasa, mosques are built for the welfare of the community. There were many Muslim landlords during the British era. They kept donating. Its complete account is maintained. Everything is notarized.
Question- Leaders like Owaisi are continuously speaking against the bill. You are saying that the bill is fine. Why such a contradiction?
Answer- Owaisi’s work is being done on property worth Rs 3 thousand crores or more in Telangana. This property belongs to Waqf. The Act says that Waqf property cannot be taken on lease for more than 30 years. But it is not being followed. Also, in return the Waqf gets a very nominal rent, whereas as a rule this rent should be as per the market.
There are many religious leaders who have been taking Waqf property on lease for years. Jamaat-e-Ulema Hind has a lot of property in Delhi, which belongs to Waqf. But neither the board nor the deprived Muslims are benefiting from this. Apart from ITO Masjid Abdul Nabi, it has monopoly of property in many states of the country. Similarly, Maharashtra Waqf Board Chairman Qazi Sameer has encroached on 275 acres of Waqf. There will be two hundred such leaders and institutions. If the bill comes, there will be transparency. This could be the reason.
Question: There is no Waqf even in many Muslim countries…
Answer- Where there is Islamic law, there is no separate Waqf law but that work is functional. Not from today, this method started 1440 years ago. Every religion in India has charity, similarly there is Waqf for Islam also. Apart from Islamic law, in democratic countries this charity exists under some other name. Donation in the name of Allah is done everywhere.
Question: There are two slots visible in donations in the name of Allah, like separate boards for Shia and Sunni. Why is it like this?
Answer- Wherever the number of Shia property exceeds 10%, Shia Waqf is separated there so that there is ease in maintenance. Accordingly, there are separate boards in the country, like in Bihar, UP and Jammu and Kashmir. But there is also a problem here. Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have maximum Shia property but there is no separate arrangement for them. If these questions are asked to the leaders there, a lot will be revealed.