We will not Allow Waqf Amendment Bill to Pass under any Circumstances; Sharad Pawar Assures Muslim Personal Law Board
EC News Desk
08/09/2024
Mumbai – September 8: Today at 9 am, members of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) met with one of India’s veteran political leaders, Rajya Sabha MP, NCP founder and supremo – Mr. Sharad Pawar, at his Silver Oak residence. Maulana Fazlur Rahim Mujaddadi, the General Secretary of the Board, especially came to Mumbai for this meeting. A memorandum was presented by AIMPLB to Mr. Sharad Pawar calling for outright withdrawal of the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024 as this is completely unconstitutional and uncalled for.
The general secretary of the Board and other members who were parts of the 15-member delegation verbally explained to Mr. Pawar stating that ‘recently, this lie is being spread over-time among the common people that the Government is forced to give certain land or property to Waqf when the same is claimed by the Waqf Board as Waqf property. Whereas, the fact is that thousands of acres of Waqf lands are illegally occupied or encroached by others including Governments, which need to be brought back, but after the passing of this new bill, all those occupied or encroached lands will go out of Waqf properties.’ The Board members further explained that ‘all Waqf lands are private Muslim endowments only and these had never been government properties at any point of time, unlike defence and railway lands. Moreover, there are multi-level judicial system for Waqf – after the Waqf Tribunal, there is scope for any aggrieved person to go to the High Court and the Supreme Court to settle a dispute. But after the proposed amendments are enacted, all the powers of the courts will be shifted to the District Collector (DC) only. Obviously, no Collector of the country can dare to take a decision against the will of any sitting government in the State or Centre.’
Similarly, the inclusion of non-Muslim members in the Waqf Board, the proposal to remove the requirement of a Muslim candidate for the CEO of the Waqf Board are utterly unacceptable, explained by the group of scholars representing the AIMPLB. Highlighting additional flaws of this Waqf Amendment Bill 2024, the delegation stated, “We strongly believe that this new law in guise of Waqf Amendment is being brought to take away all Waqf lands from Muslims, it is simply unacceptable for us. We Muslims, instead of any amendment, whatsoever, in the existing Waqf Act, outright reject this proposed Bill, which is with the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) right now.”
Mr. Pawar was requested to put his weight on his party MPs, his India Alliance opposition partners and those parties with NDA government to unite against the Bill so that the BJP government is forced to altogether withdraw the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024. Otherwise, the rights given to the minorities in the Constitution of India would be snatched away one by one. The Board members assured Mr. Pawar that Muslims would continue to fight against this Bill till their last resort.
After listening to the detailed presentation of the Board representatives, Mr. Sharad Pawar assured that ‘no one will be allowed to take away religious rights and Muslim’s Waqf properties.” He stressed upon by saying, “We will strongly oppose this Bill and will not allow it to be passed under any circumstances.”
Mr. Pawar further explained saying that “our Member of Parliament, Shuresh Mhatre alias Balya Mama, is a member of the JPC. We have instructed him to fully represent the sentiments of Muslims in the JPC. We are completely with Muslims in this matter and we would stand by your side,” he said.
The General Secretary of AIMPLB – Maulana Fazlur Rahim Mujaddadi thanked Mr. Sharad Pawar for his unequivocal assurance and also expressed his best wishes for his health and longevity.
The high profile delegation to Mr. Pawar from the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) was consistent of – General Secretary Maulana Fazlur Rahim Mujaddidi, Maulana Mahmood Ahmad Khan Dariyabadi, Mr. Abu Asim Azmi, Dr. Zahir Qazi, Mufti Saeedur Rehman Farooqui, Mr. Salim Motorwala, Shia Scholar – Maulana Rooh-e Zafar, Maulana Burhanuddin Qasmi, Maulana Anees Ahmad Ashrafi, Mr. Shakir Sheikh, Dr. Azimuddin, Hafiz Iqbal Chunawala, Mr. Naeem Sheikh and Suhail Subidar et al.
