New Delhi: Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Friday criticized the parliamentary committee on the proposed Waqf Amendment, alleging that it displayed a lack of understanding and a biased approach during deliberations with the delegation he led.
Speaking to reporters after meeting the Parliamentary committee, Mirwaiz as per news agency KINS expressed dissatisfaction over the committee’s attitude, stating, “We put forward our viewpoints, but it seems they have limited knowledge about the Waqf. It appears they have already made up their minds to introduce amendments, which we believe will amount to interference in our religion.”
Echoing similar sentiments, Islamic scholar Moulana Rehmatullah rejected the proposed amendments outright. “They did not listen to us properly. Their understanding of the Waqf system is superficial,” he said, adding that the amendments would have far-reaching consequences for the Muslim community.
The delegation warned that if the committee proceeds without addressing their concerns, it would lead to a one-sided judgment detrimental to the Waqf’s sanctity.
This comes amid widespread debates over the proposed changes to the Waqf Act, which Muslim leaders argue could undermine the community’s autonomy over religious endowments.
Earlier, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq-led delegation of Mutahhida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU) on Friday presented a memorandum to the Joint Parliamentary Committee chairman in New Delhi, in which the Ulema body expressed their “grave concern” over the proposed amendments in the Bill.
“We believe that these amendments are completely against the interests of the Muslim community and also violate the universally accepted fundamental rights of communities,” said the MMU, in the memorandum, presented to Jagdambika Pal, JPC Chairman.
The MMU said that the Waqf properties are “personal properties dedicated by Muslims in the name of God for the benefit of their society and to help the underprivileged.”
It said such religious/social institutions warrant least interference from the state. “But the Govt proposed amendments represent a significant threat to the autonomy and functioning of this institution,” said the MMU.
“Our first concern is the proposed overtake of the Waqf by the Government through the authority of the collector,” added the MMU.
Another major concern, they said, isthe reduction of Muslim representation and increase in the number of Non-Muslim representation up to 13 in central Waqf council and 7 in State Waqf Boards and the arbitrary mandate given to them. “Earlier, all members except one were Muslim and they were Elected,” said the MMU.
“Furthermore, the proposed amendments will give the government the power to remove Waqf properties from the list of protected properties. This will allow the government to seize or sell valuable Waqf properties, leaving the Muslim community with fewer resources to support its religious and charitable activities,” said the MMU.
“Besides, the proposed amendments are a violation of the Muslim Personal Law, which is protected under Article 25 of the Indian Constitution.”
The MMU said the Muslim majority region of Jammu and Kashmir feels very strongly about these amendments to the Waqf Act, seeing it as another attempt at undermining our religious freedom and the autonomy of our institutions.
“So we urge you to reconsider and reject these proposed amendments and rather engage in meaningful talks with the Muslim community to address these apprehensions and concerns and take suggestions from them regarding what kind of changes they would like to see, if any at all, to make the Waqf Act more effective for their benefit and not superimpose these discriminatory changes upon them,” reports said.
BJP MPs welcome Mirwaiz meeting par panel on Waqf bill
Even as Mirwaiz Umar Farooq opposed the Waqf (Amendment) Bill before a parliamentary committee, several BJP members took heart from his decision to be part of the constitutional process as the Hurriyat leader has been associated with separatist politics in the Valley.
“The best part was that he put his points strongly and cited his constitutional right to express his objections to different clauses of the Bill,” BJP MP Sanjay Jaiswal, a member of the joint committee of Parliament scrutinising the proposed law, said.
He claimed that opposition members deliberately created an “episode” so that the delegation of Muslim clerics led by Mirwaiz could not express their views before the committee.
Though Mirwaiz appeared before the BJP MP Jagdambika Pal-led committee in his capacity as patron of Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema, a body of Muslim bodies from the region, he is also the leader of the moderate faction of Hurriyat, a separatist conglomerate, which has gone virtually defunct following the central government’s crackdown.
That he stepped out of the Valley to be part of a constitutional process was seen as significant by many political watchers.
“It is good that he became a part of the democratic process,” BJP MP Radha Mohan Das Agarwal, also a member of the committee, said.
Jaiswal, though, stressed that a term like “separatist” should not be used for anyone appearing before Parliament. Parliamentary committees are considered a mini-Parliament.
In his written submission before the committee, Mirwaiz criticised the proposed amendments in the Waqf Act as a violation of the Muslim Personal Law that he added was protected under “Article 25 of the Indian Constitution”.
Sources said he also invoked Article 26, which provides for the freedom to manage religious affairs, to argue against the draft law.
Continuous protests by opposition members from the Congress, Trinamool Congress and the DMK, among other parties, delayed the panel’s proceedings as they wanted the next sitting for members to discuss the Bill clause-by-clause on January 27 postponed.
They wanted more time to study the matter and submissions by stakeholders from around the country.
Pal, however, said they were deliberately trying to scuttle the meeting despite being given adequate time to present their views. All 10 opposition MPs were later suspended, following which the proceedings began.(PTI)
