Hyderabad: All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday, March 29 criticised the Centre over Waqf Amendment Bill 2024.
Owaisi slammed the government for reducing the share of income given to the Mutawalli (president ) of the state Waqf Board, “For each state Waqf Board 7 percent of the income has to be given to the Mutawalli and the Centre has reduced it.”
The Hyderabad MP said he agrees that the Waqf properties are being encroached adding that when Muqtar Abbas Naqvi was the Union minister for minority affairs minister he introduced a bill in the Look Sabha regarding encroachments on the Waqf properties. However, the Centre withdrew the bill.
He slammed the Union home minister for allegedly saying that one can’t go to court against the waqf tribunal. “The Waqf tribunal is one of the many tribunals which have been established based on the constitution. One can submit a review petition against the judgment of the Waqf tribunal, so why is Amit Shah lying?” he asked.
Owaisi further alleged that the home minister is misleading the people of India with regard to the Waqf board. Speaking of one of the proposed amendments, the AIMIM chief asked, “If a retired judge is brought into the Waqf tribunal, how will the retired judge be monitored? Why does the government want to remove the sitting district judge from the tribunal?”
He stressed that the Waqf amendment bill is a means to plunder the Waqf properties and not to protect them. Owaisi further alleged that the BJP-led NDA government wants to snatch the waqf properties. Why is the survey commissioner being removed?
“This document should be termed ‘Lootera (robber) Amendment Bill’ ” the AIMIM chief said. Answering a query on whether the issue would be raised during the election campaign in Bihar. He asserted that the Waqf Board Amendment Bill 2024 is a matter of the sovereignty of the Indian constitution and not related to any election.
Owaisi further said that the NDA doesn’t have a clear majority in the Lok Sabha and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is holding the government together with support from the Janata Dal (United), Telugu Desam Party and the Lok Janshakti Party.
“How will they face the people in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Andhra Pradesh when they are making an unconstitutional law which threatens to take down mosques, and shrines ?” he asked.
The AIMIM president criticised the Centre for deleting the section of evacuee waqf properties adding that whatever amount of property has been donated to waqf was legally accumulated by the Muslims over time.
“It is for the tribunals to decide whether the waqf property has been encroached on. However, the Centre is looking to finish the waqf board,” Owaisi reiterated.
Owaisi further said that Muslims can orally donate land or property to Waqf and the Centre is misleading the public by claiming it can’t be done.
He further criticized the Centre for an amendment making the sale of waqf property a bailable offence. “According to the Waqf Act of 1995 sale of waqf property was a non-bailable offence with two years of jail time,” he added.
