New Delhi: The Delhi BJP held demonstrations at the Vijay Chowk and the Rail Bhawan crossing here Wednesday to express support for the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, which was taken up for discussion and passage in the Lok Sabha.
The Delhi BJP and its Minority Morcha have welcomed the introduction of the Waqf Amendment Bill in the Lower House of Parliament, hailing it as a significant step towards the welfare and development of marginalised Muslims.
Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva emphasised that the Bill would not only pave the way for the development of Muslims in Delhi but also benefit the community across the country.
He said a particular section of society had monopolised Waqf Board resources for years, preventing their benefits from reaching underprivileged Muslims.
The Waqf Amendment Bill should rather be called the Waqf Improvement Bill. This is a reformative step that will free Waqf Board resources from the control of a select few and ensure their proper utilisation for the welfare of the community, he said.
Sachdeva criticised those opposing the bill, questioning why no hospitals or schools had been built on Waqf Board lands despite decades of control by a select group.
He said the bill would ensure that such properties are utilised for the true welfare of the community, in line with the government’s vision of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas. ‘
Minority Morcha President Anis Abbasi echoed similar sentiments and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the first leader in nearly eight decades to challenge the exclusive control over Waqf properties and work towards making them accessible to common Muslims.
He also pointed out that the Bill was formulated after reviewing nearly 97 lakh suggestions received by the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC).
Key members of the Minority Morcha, including Naim Saifi, Faisal Mansoori, Shabana Rehman, Irfan Salmani, Zulfiqar Ali, Imtiaz Ahmed, Murshida Khatun, and Khalid Chaudhary, displayed placards and distributed sweets.
The BJP leaders urged the public to support the Bill and avoid being misled by political narratives against it, stressing that it is a much-needed reform for ensuring transparency and better utilisation of Waqf resources.
The Bill to amend the law governing Waqf boards proposes far-reaching changes in the 1995 Wakf Act, including ensuring the representation of Muslim women and non-Muslims in such bodies.
According to its statement of objects and reasons, the Bill seeks to omit Section 40 of the current law relating to the powers of the board to decide if a property is Waqf property.
It provides for a broad-based composition of the Central Waqf Council and state Waqf boards, and proposes to establish a separate board of Auqaf for Boharas and Aghakhanis. It provides for representation of Shias, Sunnis, Bohras, Agakhanis and other backward classes among Muslims.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill also seeks to rename the Act as the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Act, 1995.
While the government is determined to push the Bill through in the Lok Sabha, the opposition is united in condemning the proposed law as unconstitutional.
The Rajya Sabha is expected to take it up Thursday.
PTI
