At a recent event in Kanpur, Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani, President of All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), expressed staunch opposition to the proposed Waqf Bill, pledging to stop its implementation “at any cost.” He emphasised that members are prepared to make personal sacrifices for the cause, asserting that the government currently holds a substantial number of Waqf properties under unlawful occupation.
“This bill is a matter of life and death for us, and we must prevent its passage at all costs,” he declared. “If necessary, Muslims across the country will fill the jails to capacity, leaving no room for criminals. We will not hesitate to give our lives for this cause,” he told the audience.
He raised concerns over potential changes in Waqf management, questioning whether non-Muslim managers would show empathy toward Waqf properties, including mosques and graveyards. “This is a very dangerous law,” he warned, arguing that such management changes could lead to the expropriation of Waqf lands.
Citing statistics on temple land holdings, Maulana Rahmani pointed out, “Tamil Nadu alone has 478,000 acres of temple land, while Andhra Pradesh has 468,000 acres. Together, they hold over a million acres of temple land. If Muslims have six lakh acres of Waqf land across the country, why should there be a problem?”
He further alleged government pressure on certain Waqf Board members to lose court cases and withhold documents. “Consider this: if there is a dispute between the Waqf Board and the government, would a collector rule against the government? The collector represents the government,” he remarked, underscoring potential biases in resolving Waqf property disputes.
