Sufi shrines body backs Waqf amendment bill, wants more powers for Dargah
The council said that they have demanded a separate act or body to govern the Dargahs and that the office of the Sajjadanashin (sufi head of a shrine) be defined as a hereditary position
New Delhi: The All India Sufi Sajjadanashin Council (AISSC), an umbrella body of Sufis in India, supported the proposed Waqf amendments that are likely to be tabled in the Parliament this week.
The council, however, said that they have demanded a separate act or body to govern the Dargahs and that the office of the Sajjadanashin (sufi head of a shrine) be defined as a hereditary position.
The council also met National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and minority affairs minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday and expressed their support for the amendments.
Chairman of All India Sufi Sajjadanashin Council Syed Naseeruddin Chishty said, “The council strongly supports the amendments (to the Act) that are being proposed by this government. There is a desperate need for it.”
The National Democratic Alliance government at the Centre is planning to table the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha on Thursday to make changes to the Waqf Act 1995. With 40 proposed changes, the Bill seeks to repeal several provisions of the current Waqf Act, which governs Waqf boards.
The AISSC has been demanding the amendments for a long time.
{{/usCountry}}The AISSC has been demanding the amendments for a long time.
{{/usCountry}}Also Read: Proposed changes to Waqf Act spark political slugfest
{{/usCountry}}Also Read: Proposed changes to Waqf Act spark political slugfest
{{/usCountry}}“The Dargahs hold the maximum stakes, and our demands should be met. We strongly believe that the government will present the Bill in favour of Muslims,” Chishty said, adding that the people should not spread false information and must wait to see the provisions of the bill first as and when the government presents it in the Parliament.
{{/usCountry}}“The Dargahs hold the maximum stakes, and our demands should be met. We strongly believe that the government will present the Bill in favour of Muslims,” Chishty said, adding that the people should not spread false information and must wait to see the provisions of the bill first as and when the government presents it in the Parliament.
{{/usCountry}}The dargahs are required to allocate seven percent of their properties to the Waqf board. He also said that the amendment is also necessary because the members appointed to the Waqf board neither understand the Sufi belief nor know the traditions and customs of the Dargahs and act arbitrarily and demanded that a representative of Sajjadnashin should be a member of the State Waqf Board.
{{/usCountry}}The dargahs are required to allocate seven percent of their properties to the Waqf board. He also said that the amendment is also necessary because the members appointed to the Waqf board neither understand the Sufi belief nor know the traditions and customs of the Dargahs and act arbitrarily and demanded that a representative of Sajjadnashin should be a member of the State Waqf Board.
{{/usCountry}}“We advocate for the collective income of the Dargah and the Waqf to be utilised for the betterment of the community,” he added.
The Sufi leader said it would be “wise to thoroughly study the bill first and then form an opinion, rather than expressing views and raising demands even before its draft is available.”
“There has been a lot of corruption within the Waqf board, which needs to be checked. The government will only work for the betterment of the Muslims,” he said.
Regarding the absence of consultation on the amendments by Muslim representatives, the body said that they raised the concern with Rijiju and that they were assured of a “holistic and representative” Bill.
In the letter to Doval, the council said, “We are hopeful that the draft Waqf Amendment Bill will be comprehensive and serve the interests of all stakeholders.”
The council also said that they will be submitting recommendations once the draft bill is uploaded.
“If the legislation aligns with the interests of the nation, Dargahs, and Khanqahs, it will be a landmark achievement,” the council said.
According to people aware of the matter, the proposed amendments include the mandatory registration of Waqf properties with the District Collector’s office, allowing for proper evaluation and monitoring.
Additionally, the amendments aim to enhance inclusivity by ensuring women’s representation on both the Central Waqf Council and state Waqf boards.
