Vijayawada: Terming Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 a direct intervention in the religious rights of Muslims, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind president Syed Sadatullah Husaini has said that the Bill is ultimately in the hands of people of Andhra Pradesh and Bihar and urged them to convey to the parties in power that it is unacceptable.
Addressing a mammoth public meeting organised by Jamaat-e-Islami here Sunday, he said if the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Janata Dal (United) realise their responsibility and come forward, the Bill will be rejected in the Parliament.
He called for rejecting every clause of the Bill, saying there is nothing acceptable in it. He urged TDP to oppose the Bill both in the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) and the Parliament.
Thanking TDP president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu for making the Central government refer the Bill to JPC, he hoped that he and his party would demonstrate the same willpower and Constitutional spirit to reject the bill in Parliament.
He was also happy that leaders of both the ruling TDP and opposition YSR Congress Party during their speeches highlighted flaws in the Bill.
He said by turning out in such large numbers, people of Andhra Pradesh have declared that the Waqf Amendment Bill is not unacceptable.
The public meeting, addressed by MPs and leaders of TDP and YSR Congress Party and leaders of various Muslim organisations, passed a declaration opposing the Bill.
Syed Sadatullah Husaini said by sending 5 crore emails from across the country, Muslims have rejected it and now with public meetings in various parts of the country, they are voicing their opposition unitedly by rising above the differences of sects, parties, and organisations.
“Since the Bill relates to Muslims, the Parliament should hear their voice. As Muslims have rejected it, the MPs should also reject every clause of this Bill,” he said.
Stating that Waqf properties are not assets of Muslims but are sacred properties belonging to Allah, the JIH President said that Muslims are trustees.
“This is a sacred trust given to them and it is their responsibility to protect it at any cost, even at the cost of their lives,” he said.
He explained that the Bill is a direct intervention in the religious rights of Muslims. Citing Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution of India, he said these Acts have given freedom to citizens to practise religion of their choice and run religious institutions in accordance with their faiths.
The JIH president said that the Bill openly violate Article 26 which says that government can’t interfere in running of the religious institutions. “This Bill is open violation of Article 26. In fact, it is a mockery of Article 26,” he said.
He said Muslims have the objection to the Bill as it provides for having non-Muslims in Central Waqf Council and Waqf Boards.
“It is not an issue of accountants, drivers or other employees. There are many non-Muslim brothers who are employees in Waqf Boards. The issue is of management. This is religious institution and it will be run by people practising this religion,” he said
Syed Sadatullah Husaini pointed out that the contents of the Bill are contradictory to the statements of object. “The government says it wants to remove encroachments on Waqf properties, make Waqf properties productive and make sure that their benefits reach Muslims. How will you protect Waqf properties? By doing away with the exemption of the Limitation Act and Waqf by use,” he asked.
He said while the government claims that encroachers will be punished, the Bill says the quantum of punishment will be reduced. “The encroachment was earlier non-bailable, cognizable offence but it is now being made bailable and non-cognizable. The penalty has been reduced,” he said.
He contended that under the Constitution, the government is bound to respect religious rights of Muslims.
The JIH president said the Bill would pave way for encroachments and take the management of Waqf properties to the worst level.
Stating that the Bill is ill-intentioned, he voiced the apprehension that it would disturb law and order in the country.
“This Bill is not just against the interests of Muslims but it is against the interests of the country, its every citizen, the Constitution and the federal spirit,” he said.
He suggested that state Assemblies should pass resolution as the Bill interfere with the state rights. He pointed out that land records, revenue and registration are state subjects but the Centre says in the Bill that will register Waqf properties.
Calling the Bill undemocratic, he said it was a complete violation of the democratic spirit as it would do away with elections and the government would nominate members to Waqf Council and Waqf Boards. “Do we have democracy in this country or dictatorship?” he asked.
Stating that Muslims are not demanding any concessions or making any new demands, he pointed out that legislations in various states governing religious institutions of other communities are clear that the institutions will be administered by people practising the respective faiths.
“It’s natural that a Hindu will manage the affairs of a temple, a Sikh will manage a gurudwara and a Muslim will administer the affairs of mosques, graveyards and Waqf institutions. It’s not a rocket science to understand this,” he said.
He advised Muslim men and women to gather information about Waqf and Waqf Bill to understand the issue and explain to Non-Muslims what is waqf and why Muslims are sensitive on the issue.
Underlining the importance of information, he said ignorance makes a community become easy target of conspiracies and exploitation. He said right information was also important to counter the false propaganda.
He also urged Muslims to meet MLAs and MPs of their respective constituencies and question them what they were doing to reject the Waqf Bill.
Stating that AIMPLB, the apex body representing all sects and jamaats, is leading the movement against Waqf Amendment Bill, he appealed to Muslims to be ready to do whatever AIMPLB asks them to do.
All India Muslim Personal Law Board spokesperson S. Qasim Rasul Ilyas said that Waqf Bill is a test case for both TDP and JD(U) which have become crutches of the Central government. “If despite your promises, you support the Bill or abstain, Muslims will never vote you,” he said.
He said Muslims will have to come on to streets and make every effort within the purview of the Constitution to stop the Bill as it aims to wipe out mosques, graveyards, madrasas, dargahs and other Waqf institutions and detach them from their ‘Deen’.
He said if necessary, Muslims will have to do jail bharo and gherao Parliament.
“There have been attacks on our lives and our property, we were made backward in education, our economy was destroyed, we tolerated all this. We want to make it clear to the government and parties like TDP, which has become the government’s crutch, that Waqf Amendment Bill is an attack on our Deen and the institutions which link us to Deen; this will not be tolerated.”
TDP parliamentary party leader Sri Krishna Devarayalu, who is also a member of JPC, assured the public meeting that the TDP will move forward on the Bill in line with the sentiments of Muslims.
Referring to objections of the community to the Waqf Bill, he said the TDP has conveyed the same to the JPC.
Lauding the concept of Waqf, the TDP MP said only Muslims donate part of their property for the society. He mentioned that this concept inspired people across the world and universities like Oxford and Cambridge followed the model of Waqf Trust.
YSRCP parliamentary party leader V. Vijayasai Reddy, who is also a member of JPC, said their party was against the Waqf Bill in its present form. He said the party conveyed its objections on nine points in the Waqf Bill to the JPC. The MP said in last meeting of JPC, the party gave dissenting note on nine points.
He said reforms should be welcomed but they should not be to dismantle, destroy and decimate Waqf institutions.
Vijayawada MP Kesineni Sivanadh of TDP said it was TDP which insisted in Parliament that the Bill should be sent to JPC. He said the objections of the Muslim community would be conveyed to the JPC.
Claiming that Chandrababu Naidu is a true secular leader, the MP said he has already mentioned that there should be no interference in the affairs of religious institutions.
TDP leader and former chairman of Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council Sharief Ahmed, Congress leader and former Agriculture Minister Vadde Sobhanadreeswara Rao, Muslim scholars and leaders of various organisations also addressed the meeting.
