New Delhi

Union Minister of Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju today told Lok Sabha that the proposed Waqf (Amendment) Bill that seeks to bring in a wide range of reforms in the Waqf Boards, said its provisions were mostly drawn from the recommendations of the Sacchar Committee report; its main purpose was to bring transparency and inclusion in the working and utilization of the resources of the Waqf boards.

Responding to the strong objections raised by the opposition members to the bill, Rijiju said the bill was not an "interference in the freedom of any religious body,".

"With this bill, there is no interference in the freedom of any religious body. Forget about taking anyone's rights, this bill has been brought to give rights to those who never got them.” He told the Lok Sabha.

Making a dig at the Congress, Rijiju said, “These recommendations were made by you (Sacchar Committee report); you should have brought these before the House and here I am doing it.”

He said the bill aimed to make the Central Waqf Council and the state Waqf boards accountable to the community; modernizing their working and for optimal utilization of its resources for the benefit of the Muslim community.

He quoted several instances to explain the dangerous consequences of the arbitrary powers of the Waqf boards to declare any property as its own. He said this power is derived from the 2013 amendment in the law during the UPA government. It that created situations of gross injustice to people.

"Stop opposing this bill, this will go down in history, whoever has opposed it and supported it. So before opposing the bill, think about thousands of poor people, women, and children and respect them," Rijiju added.

In an emotional tone, Rijiju said as a Buddhist he feels privileged to present a law that will have far-reaching consequences for the welfare of the Muslim Community of India. I am a Buddhist and I consider myself  lucky that I am instrumental in bringing the landmark bill for the welfare of Muslims.”

The bill seeks to "effectively address issues" related to the powers of the State Waqf Boards, registration and survey of waqf properties, and removal of encroachments.

It also seeks to introduce technology in managing the Waqf board and bring transparency in its finances. It also aims to employ a pool of talent to manage the Waqf.

He said the bill proposed inclusion of backwards, Bohras, Agakhanis and Muslims in the management of the Waqf bards. He clarified that the bill provides for the proceeds from the Waqf properties be utilised only for Muslims, and special attention be paid to Women and Children.

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, Waqf Act provides for the renaming of the Waqf Act, 1995, as the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Act, 1995. It seeks to clearly define "waqf" as waqf by any person practicing Islam for at least five years and having ownership of such property and ensure that the creation of Waqf-alal-aulad does not lead to the denial of inheritance rights to women.

The bill seeks to omit section 40 relating to the powers of the Board to decide if a property is waqf property, provide for filing of accounts of waqf by mutawallis to the Board through a central portal for better control over their activities, reform the Tribunal structure with two members and provide for appeals against the orders of the Tribunal to the High Court within a specified period of 90 days.

NCP (SCP) MP Supriya Sule urged the government to either withdraw the bill completely or send it to a standing committee. "Please do not push agendas without consultations," Supriya Sule said in Lok Sabha. Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) MP NK Premachandran in Lok Sabha said that if this law is put through judicial scrutiny then it will be "struck down."

Opposing the bill, Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav said, "Yeh bill jo introduce ho raha hai woh bahut sochi samjhi rajneeti ke tehat ho raha hai. Speaker sir, I heard in the lobby that some of your rights are also going to be taken away and we will have to fight for you. I oppose this bill."

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Congress MP KC Venugopal opposed the bill in the House and dubbed it an "attack on the federal system." AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi claimed that the bill violates the principles of Articles 14, 15, and 25 of the Constitution.

The Bill will be reviewed by a Joint parliamentary committee.