Waqf panel exceeded limits, alleges Muslim Personal Law Board

SQR Ilyas.
| Photo Credit: HANDOUT E MAIL

The Muslim Personal Law Board has come down heavily on the allies of the Bharatiya Janata Party for supporting the Waqf Bill and appealed to the Opposition to unite to defeat the Bill in the Parliament. Alleging that the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf Bill “exceeded its limits and flouted democratic conventions”, the Board alleged that Muslim sentiments were not taken into consideration by the committee, and urged the government to withdraw the Bill.

“We sent more than 36 million emails against the proposed amendments. But they were rejected by the committee. So many Muslim organisations met the members of the committee to register their opposition to the Bill. Yet the committee did not deem it necessary to pay heed to their objections,” S.Q.R. Ilyas, spokesman of the Board, told The Hindu.

Among those who opposed the amendments, particularly the inclusion of non-Muslim members in the Waqf Board, were the representatives of Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Zakat Foundation and Jamaat-e-Ahl-e-Hadith. “The JPC has violated all democratic and ethical values and suppressed the constitutional rights of Muslims. The recommendation to approve the Bill, ignoring the views and sentiments of millions of people, as well as rejecting the proposals from the Opposition members, is unreasonable, undemocratic, and an infringement on the rights of Muslims,” Mr. Ilyas said, adding, “The JPC showed blatant disregard for parliamentary rules and boundaries, conducting its proceedings while disregarding all democratic values and traditions.”

Late last year, at the Board’s meeting in Bengaluru, leading Muslim bodies jointly made it clear that the community would not allow anyone to seize its properties. and other Waqf properties. “The attempt to seize minority properties is sheer oppression, which no justice-loving people can accept. We regret that the BJP’s allies have failed to uphold their responsibilities and supported the BJP’s communal agenda. We appeal to the secular Opposition parties to unite and strongly oppose this Bill if it is presented in Parliament. We demand that the government withdraw this controversial amendment Bill and retain the previous law,” the Board’s spokesman urged.

The Board, he said, was exploring all legal options and was prepared to use all democratic and constitutional means, including a nationwide agitation movement, to protect the Waqf properties. “If needed, we may come on the streets or go to jail for this cause, we will not hesitate to do so,” Mr. Ilyas concluded.