– Mohammed Atherulla Shariff
Bengaluru: A movement for the protection of awqaf properties is inevitable to create awareness among Muslims that the protection of this trust of Allah is our duty as a guardian. These views were expressed by former Union Minister and former Rajya Sabha member Dr. K Rehman Khan.
Addressing a huge gathering organised by Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Bengaluru Metro at Sir Ismail Mosque, Frazer Town, he said the Waqf Amendment Bill brought by the Union Government is a conspiracy hatched to destroy the Waqf. The motive of the Union Government can be noticed in the title of the Bill where the word waqf is dropped. Even now, if Muslims do not wake up, coming generations may have to face a great tragedy in future, he said.
Highlighting the history of the Waqf Act and the subsequent amendments brought by the present BJP government, Rehman Khan said the first Waqf Act in the country was enacted in 1954, which itself was quite weak. In 1995, another waqf act was formulated and it also was not up to the mark. Later a Joint Parliamentary Committee was constituted under his chairmanship to correct the shortcomings. The Committee visited all the states of the country. After examining the issues related to waqf properties and other issues, it submitted a comprehensive report to the central government in 2008.
During the same period, then prime minister Manmohan Singh constituted a committee under the chairmanship Justice Rajender Sachar to improve the overall economic and educational condition of Muslims. In view of the recommendations of the JPC and then the Sachar Committee and in consultation with the Muslim Personal Law Board, a law was framed in 2013 to ensure the protection of waqf properties and Waq Boards were empowered to recover the properties from illegal occupants, he added.
Describing the current situation, Dr. Khan said despite having a weak mandate the BJP government seems to be determined to cause maximum damage to Muslims’ interest in the country. Due to lack of majority in the Lok Sabha, the Bill was by pressure referred to the Joint Parliamentary Committee, but the government is striving hard to pass it as early as possible.
Throwing light upon the contents of the Bill, Rehman Khan said there is an attempt to create divisions in the community. As of now only Shia and Sunni Waqf Boards are there but the Bill advocates creating smaller Boards like Bohra, Agha Khani, etc. Instead of election of members of the Boards, nomination by government is planned. The provision of Waqf by User is eliminated which will dismantle thousands of hectors of land comprising centuries-old burial grounds, seminaries, mosques, etc. if they do not possess the documents.
Elaborating on his viewpoint, Rehman Khan said the power of conducting survey and settlement of disputes is being taken away from Waqf Tribunal and Deputy Commissioners are being authorised to do the job. As Deputy Commissioners are government employees, the results are quite obvious
Speaking about the internal loopholes in the Waqf properties management, Moulana Maqsood Imran Rashadi, the imam of City Jamia Masjid stated, if we look at only Karnataka, the fact is that out of 100,000 acres of waqf land, only 23,000 acres of land is under the custody of the Waqf Board now. It is estimated that the Board can earn two thousand crores of rupees from waqf properties, but currently, not even 2 crores are being earned from the endowment, he said.
In his presidential address, JIH state president, Dr. Belgami Md. Saad said the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024 is being imposed on Muslims unnecessarily, no Muslim has asked for it, and it is being slapped on the face of Muslims. He said this is an organized conspiracy, the central government is trying to create chaos among Muslims. Thanks to this Bill, a lot of awareness has been created among Muslims about the importance of awqaf and there is a need to bring further awareness, he added.
Dr. Belgami said the structure of the Constitution of this country stands on four pillars: freedom, justice, equality and brotherhood. But the Bill will damage all these pillars. He said Muslims should take other oppressed classes to voice against these efforts of the central government. Muslims are the first target of this government in the days and other classes will be targeted subsequently.
