Sharad Pawar vows not to allow Waqf Amendment Bill to be passed

Mumbai: The Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 would not be allowed to pass the Parliament, NCP SP Chief Sharad Pawar promised the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) on Sunday.

“We will not allow it to be passed in the Parliament in any circumstances. He said that NCP Member of Parliament, Suresh Mhatre Alias Balya Mama, is a member of the Joint Parliamentary Committee and we have instructed him to fully represent the sentiments of Muslims in the committee,” Pawar assured the AIMPLB delegation.

Earlier, a delegation of AIMPLB led by the Board's General Secretary Ml Fazlur Raheem Mujaddidi met Sharad Pawar at his residence and presented a memorandum regarding the proposed Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024, IANS reported.

The delegation demanded the rejection of the Waqf Amendment Bill, stating that it was against the Constitution.

The Board's General Secretary briefed Pawar that a false narrative has been consistently spread that any land or property claimed by the Waqf Board automatically becomes its property.

The reality, however, is that thousands of acres of Waqf land are under illegal occupation by others including the Central and state governments, and efforts have been ongoing for years to reclaim them.

However, there is a fear that if this controversial bill is passed, all those lands will be taken away from the Waqf Board’s possession.

He further stated that under the existing Waqf Act (1995), there is a multi-tiered judicial system to settle such disputes.

After the Waqf Tribunal, there is the option of approaching the High Courts and Supreme Court. However, with the current amendment, all judicial matters will be transferred to the district collector.

No collector in the country will have the courage to make a decision against the government.

The delegation also strongly objected to the inclusion of non-Muslim members in the Waqf Board and the Central Waqf Council, and the proposal to remove the requirement of a Muslim for the post of CEO.

Highlighting other shortcomings of the bill, the General Secretary said: "We believe that this bill has been introduced to encroach on Waqf properties which is absolutely unacceptable to us. Instead of any amendment in the bill Muslims reject it in totality."

The delegation demanded Pawar that his party and the India Alliance must put enough pressure on the government to with draw the Bill.