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Mirwaiz-led Muslim conglomerate writes to JPC against Waqf bill, cautions of protests in J&K
The conglomerate cautioned that muslims from Jammu and Kashmir will protest if the authorities go ahead with the amendments terming it as an “assault on our religious institutions”
Muttaheda Majlis-e-Ulama (MMU) Jammu and Kashmir, a conglomerate of some 46 various religious bodies and Islamic education institutions led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Tuesday wrote to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) urging to reject the proposed amendments to Waqf Act, 1995 calling them against the interest of the Muslim community.
The conglomerate cautioned that muslims of Jammu and Kashmir will protest if the authorities go ahead with the amendments terming it as an “assault on our religious institutions”.
“We want to make it clear that 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. If these amendments are not rejected Muslims of JK will protest it as they see it as an assault on our religious institutions,” said a letter by MMU to JPC chairman on Waqf Amendment Bill, Jagdambika Pal.
On August 08, the central government proposed a Waqf Amendment Bill, 2024 triggering protests and concerns from several opposition members pointing out the bill’s potential impact on the federal structure and its “encroachment on religious autonomy”. The government claimed that the bill will benefit ordinary muslims including women and children. After the backlash, the Centre proposed sending the bill to a joint parliamentary committee before which the bill is now under consideration.
Mirwaiz, who is the patron of MMU and chief priest of Srinagar’s Jamia Masjid, in the letter expressed “our serious and deep concern regarding the proposed amendments to the Waqf Act”.
“We believe that these amendments are completely against the interests of the Muslim community and also violate the universally accepted fundamental rights of communities. Waqf properties are personal properties dedicated by Muslims in the name of God for the benefit of their society and to help the underprivileged. Such religo-social institutions warrant least interference from the state. But the Govt proposed Amendments clearly indicate an attempt at controlling this institution, making its motives suspect,” it said.
The bill aims to restrict the power of Waqf boards to manage its properties and provides for more government regulation. The bill proposes to make registration with the District Collector’s Office mandatory for any Waqf property, so that the property can be evaluated. The district collector will be the arbiter to decide whether a property is waqf property or government land and the decision shall be final.
“ The collector has been given absolute power to change the nature of the waqf properties into ‘Government properties’… This action seeks to undermine the very purpose of the Waqf Act, which is to protect and preserve the properties dedicated to religious and charitable purposes by the Muslim community members,” the letter by MMU said seeking time from the JPC for a meeting.
“Another major concern is the reduction of Muslim representation and increase in the number of Non-Muslim representation up-to 13 in central Waqf council and seven in State Waqf Boards and the arbitrary mandate given to them. Earlier all members except one were Muslim and they were elected,” it said.
The letter said that the bill’s proposal of removal of “Waqf by user” not only “violates the principles of Waqf but will aggravate communal claims over Mosques and other Waqfs such as Madrasas, Darghas, Astans and Qabristans existing for centuries but not recorded as such in revenue records making it open to litigation and illegal appropriation by the State authorities”.
