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Telangana Waqf board rejects Waqf bill
The Telangana Waqf Board unanimously rejected the Waqf Amendment Bill-2024, citing harmful effects on Waqf autonomy and calling for a unified response against the bill.
The Telangana state Waqf Board has rejected the Waqf Amendment Bill-2024, which was recently introduced by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre in Parliament.
The special meeting chaired by board chairman Syed Azmatullah Hosseini in Hyderabad on Monday discussed the potential implications of the proposed legislation.
A statement by Hosseini said the board had gone through carefully and diligently into the proposed Waqf Amendment Bill 2024, clause by clause, and had also discussed the issues with legal experts and administrators.
“After going through the bill, the board was convinced about the harmful and damaging effects of the provisions of the bill. Therefore, the Telangana Wakf Board unanimously resolved to reject the proposed amendments,” the statement said.
The meeting was attended by six members including Hyderabad MP and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen Asaduddin Owaisi. Two other members attended the meeting virtually.
The board members expressed deep concerns over the proposed Central bill, which if enacted, could significantly undermine the autonomy and functioning of Waqf institutions across the state.
Hosseini said Telangana had large number of Wakf properties and the Wakf Board is the custodian of these properties and is the biggest stake holder.
“It is obvious that the proposed bill has been prepared with a particular mind set and aims at destroying the autonomy of Waqf Board and the very institution of Waqf by bringing the Wakfs under the total control of collectors,” he said.
The collectors, he said, will be free to claim and determine any Waqf property as government property and give directions to Mutawalli (manager of the Wakf properties) and its compliance will be binding on Mutawalli.
The bill destroys the structure of Waqf Council and Waqf Board by making them nominated, introducing essentially two non-Muslim members and leaving scope for Council and Board eventually become non-Muslim dominated, he said.
Hosseini said the bill is also against the principles of federal governance because it aims at excluding the role of state government from the administration of Waqf and even rule making power and prescription of formats are sought to be usurped by the Centre.
In addition, the board also resolved to advocate for the creation of a Joint Working Committee on the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024 to present relevant documents and data from the Telangana Waqf Board. They also agreed to organize a conference with the chairpersons and CEOs of Waqf Boards from states not governed by the BJP to strategise a unified response.
Soon after the meeting, Owaisi posted on X: “The Telangana State Waqf Board has become the first Waqf Board in the country to oppose the unconstitutional Waqf Amendment Bill 2024. Must thank @TelanganaCMO for his support.”
Owaisi along with All India Muslim Personal Law Board president Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani had met chief minister A Revanth Reddy and sought his support against the bill. He said AIMPLB leaders would meet the chief ministers of non-BJP-governed states to seek their support and will also meet opposition leaders.
