Tenants demand abolition of new Wakf lease law

Tenants Welfare Association organized the protest against the new law implemented from April onwards and alleged that it will cause eviction of more than 6,000 shops in Delhi.

Demanding the abolition of new Wakf Lease Act, which would allegedly lead to eviction of many shops in the capital, Wakf board tenants held a protest on Sunday.

Traders and tenants at a protest against the new Wakf lease law at Jantar Mantar on Sunday. (Sonu Mehta/HT Photo)

Tenants Welfare Association organized the protest against the new law implemented from April onwards and alleged that it will cause eviction of more than 6,000 shops in Delhi.

“We want that the definition of encroacher should be abolished and auction of wakf properties should be stopped immediately. We want that the maximum lease period should be for 99 years, rent should not be related to circle rate, reasonable enhance of rent should be there and rent should increase 10% after every three years,” said Indrajeet Madan, spokesperson of Tenants Welfare Association.

Protestors from Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh also participated in the protest at Jantar Mantar. They also demanded scrapping of the Wakf Board and giving them right to property, the association said in a release.

Several other organizations like Delhi wakf traders, Chawri Bazar vapar mandal, APMA (Delhi Auto Part Association), Sadar Bazaar shopkeepers, Maliwara traders association, trade associations from Karnal, Rohtak Haryana, and Punjab also participated in the protest.

The affected tenants have also presented their demands and submitted a memorandum to the minister of minorities affairs Najma Hepatulla, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal to stop the immediate eviction of the tenants and to make the necessary corrections in the law.

Delhi government has already formed a committee to look into the demands of tenants.

“We also want that the lease period should be same of all tenants with auto renewal facility and there should be no bar on civil court jurisdiction. We also want that the donations paid should be treated as premium of properties and right of descendants should be protected,” Madan said.