Waqf Bill will pave way for 'constitutional hierarchy' over 'unconstitutional anarchy': BJP's Naqvi

New Delhi, Aug 8 (PTI) Former minister for minority affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Thursday hailed the introduction of The Waqf (Amendment) Bill and said it will pave the way for "constitutional hierarchy" over "unconstitutional anarchy".

The BJP leader said the Bill is a positive and constructive step towards "a logical solution to a long-pending problem".

"This is the need of the country, religion as well as the waqf and waqt (time)," he told reporters here.

Hitting out at the opposition, Naqvi said those who are trying to create "communal confusion" must desist from spreading fear and imposing a "Talibani lock on an inclusive reform".

The waqf system should move beyond its "touch me not" syndrome as this mentality, supported by a "communal caucus", has made the waqf system hostage to narrow minded self-interests.

Naqvi said this is the right time to bring the waqf system out of the darkness of "mistrust and anarchy". The Bill will ensure transparency and accountability in the waqf system for empowerment of the society. It will pave the way for "constitutional hierarchy" over "unconstitutional anarchy", he said.

Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday introduced The Waqf (Amendment) Bill and proposed sending it to a joint parliamentary committee after opposition parties objected to its provision.

He also introduced The Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill, 2024.

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill also aims at renaming the Act to the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Act, 1995.

It was circulated among the Lok Sabha members on Tuesday night.

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 the state waqf boards and ensures the representation of Muslim women and non-Muslims in such bodies.

The Bill also proposes the establishment of a separate board of Auqaf for the Boharas and Aghakhanis. The draft law provides for the representation of Shias, Sunnis, Bohras, Agakhanis and other backward classes among Muslim communities.

It also aims to clearly define 'waqf' as "waqf by any person practising Islam for at least five years and having ownership of such property".

One of its objectives is streamlining the manner of registration of waqfs through a central portal and database. A detailed procedure is established for mutation according to the revenue laws with due notice to all concerned before recording any property as a waqf property.

The Wakf Act, 1995, was brought to regulate 'Auqaf (assets donated and notified as waqf)' by a 'wakif (a person who dedicates a property for any purpose recognised by Muslim law as religious or charitable)'.

The law was last amended in 2013. PTI ASK ASK KSS KSS