Waqf bill: JPC chairman meets Islamic scholars in Lucknow, assures no injustice will be done

Lucknow: Jagdambika Pal, the chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024, on Tuesday met representatives of the Islamic Centre of India, religious leaders and intellectuals here and assured them that no injustice will be done to waqf.

Islamic Centre of India President Maulana Khalid Rashid Farangi Mahali, also a senior executive member of All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), said Pal held a meeting with ulemas, lawyers and intellectuals and sought their suggestions on the Waqf Act (Amendment) Bill.

A 20-point memorandum was submitted to Pal on behalf of various organisations, Mahali said.

Through the memorandum, they have expressed their opposition to the proposal of giving more powers to district magistrates in the matters of waqf, the inclusion of non-Muslim members in the Waqf Board and the selection of members through nomination instead of election.

It was also said that these points are a blatant violation of Articles 14 (equality rights), 25 (rights related to free profession, practice and propagation of religion), 26 (right of religious institution to manage its own affairs in matters of religion) and 29 of the Constitution.

According to Mahali, JPC Chairman Pal said that he had a discussion with an AIMPLB delegation and he wanted to assure the entire Muslim community that no injustice will be allowed to happen to Waqf.

Pal said that through the Bill, efforts will be made to protect Waqf properties, their construction and development, and provide maximum benefit to orphan Muslim children, widowed Muslim women and unemployed, according to Mahali.

Pal said that the suggestions and proposals given during the meeting will be considered by the JPC.

The Waqf amendment Bill seeks to give a bigger say to the government in regulating Waqf properties and seeks to change the composition of Waqf Boards proposing to include non-Muslim members too.

The Opposition strongly opposed the Bill and BJP allies also privately conveyed their unease over the legislation, prompting the government to send it to the JPC.

The JPC will submit its report by the next session of parliament.