Waqf Amendment Bill: Indian govt accused of occupying Muslim properties

PATNA: Maulana Ahmad Wali Faisal Rahmani, the Emir of Shariah for Bihar, Odisha, and Jharkhand under the Imarat-e-Shariah, has levelled serious accusations against the Indian government regarding the Waqf Amendment Bill.

He claimed that the bill was introduced in haste and with malicious intent, alleging that it contains a total of 44 major flaws.

Maulana Rahmani asserted that the bill has been crafted to serve the interests of land mafias and accused the government of conspiring to seize Waqf properties through this legislation. He stated, “This bill undermines the protection of Waqf properties and jeopardises our religious and social identity.”

Maulana Faisal Rahmani demanded that the government withdraw the amendment. He argued that just as the SC/ST Act was revised and the contentious farm laws were repealed, this bill too should be withdrawn without delay.

He further urged political parties allied with the BJP, including JD(U) and TDP, to oppose the bill and pressure the Centre to revoke it, stressing that the bill is in no way in the interest of the Muslim community.

Displaying a copy of the bill, Faisal Rahmani pointed out that there is no reference whatsoever to the welfare of poor Muslims within its provisions.

Highlighting specific concerns, he mentioned that the Waqf Amendment Bill includes provisions that seem clearly designed to benefit land mafias. Citing Bihar as an example, he said there are around 3,900 madrasas in the state, all established on Waqf properties.

When the Madrasa Board was formed, these institutions were brought under its support and fall under trust management. However, the amendment mandates that properties be governed strictly according to trust regulations, meaning that even existing madrasas will have to comply with these new rules.

Opposing the Waqf Amendment Bill, Faisal Rahmani noted that it hands over all powers to the district collector or government officials, which he deemed entirely inappropriate.

He emphasised that Waqf properties are donations from the public, and enacting such laws over them is unacceptable. “This law can never be in the interest of the Muslim community,” he concluded.