A parliamentary panel on Wednesday approved the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, by a 15-11 majority vote, incorporating changes proposed by ruling BJP members. The move has triggered fierce opposition, with critics alleging an attempt to weaken Waqf boards and interfere in the religious affairs of the Muslim community.
Chaired by BJP MP Jagdambika Pal, the Joint Committee of Parliament (JPC) finalized the report, dismissing amendments suggested by Congress, DMK, TMC, AAP, Shiv Sena-UBT, and AIMIM members. The opposition has submitted dissent notes, condemning the bill as a direct assault on the constitutional rights of Muslims.
BJP members defended the bill, arguing it promotes modernity, transparency, and accountability in managing Waqf properties. However, opposition leaders, including Congress MP Imran Masood and AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, slammed the provision allowing non-Muslims to be appointed to Waqf boards, calling it a violation of Article 26, which guarantees religious institutions the right to self-governance.
“This is a clear attempt to dismantle Waqf boards. Hindu, Sikh, and Christian religious boards do not have members from other communities, so why impose this rule only on Muslims?” Masood questioned. Owaisi further warned that the amendment could lead to government takeovers of evacuee properties and endanger Muslim religious sites.
The committee adopted 14 amendments, all proposed by BJP members. Among the key provisions, the revised bill mandates Muslim OBC representation in state Waqf boards and allows for separate boards for Aghakhani and Bohra communities. It also includes provisions to safeguard women’s inheritance rights in Waqf Alal Aulad and directs income from such Waqfs toward widows, divorced women, and orphans if specified by the waqif (creator of the Waqf).
Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee called the committee’s recommendations “wholly perverse,” while DMK’s A Raja criticized the rushed circulation of the draft report, giving members little time for review.
The bill eliminates the “Waqf by user” clause from the 1995 Act but states that past cases will not be reopened unless the properties are in dispute or belong to the government. It also strips district collectors of the authority to investigate disputes involving Waqf properties, instead granting that power to senior state-appointed officers.
Following 38 meetings and consultations across multiple states, the committee is set to submit its report to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla before tabling it in Parliament during the upcoming Budget Session. With the government determined to push through the reforms and the opposition ready for a showdown, the bill is expected to trigger intense debates in both Houses.
