Waqf Amendment Bill
New Delhi: Waqf Amendment Bill: The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, which is likely to be introduced in Parliament on April 2, 2024, has created political and social stir in the country. While there is a heated debate between the ruling party and the opposition on this bill, questions are also being raised on the impact of this bill on Indian Muslims. Let us know what this bill is, what are the objectives behind it and what the controversies over it mean.
The term 'Waqf' means the permanent dedication of property for charitable purposes in Islam. It is a practice in which the properties of mosques, dargahs, Idgahs, graveyards and other religious places are dedicated for a particular purpose. In India, a large portion of these Waqf properties are associated with mosques and other religious institutions.
Currently, this new bill is being introduced to improve the law for Waqf which was passed in 1995. Under this, there is a plan to make the Waqf management system more strong and transparent. This bill talks about improving the registration and survey of Waqf properties, as well as proposing to increase the powers of the Waqf Board. It also talks about effectively resolving issues like "removal of encroachment".
There are many criticisms of the bill from the opposition and especially from the Muslim community. Critics say that there are some provisions in this bill that can affect the religious rights of the Muslim community. In particular, questions are being raised on provisions such as the appointment of non-Muslims in the Waqf Board and preventing them from building or donating Waqf properties. Apart from this, the issue of changes in the definitions of Waqf and Waqf administration has also become a cause of controversy.
This debate on the bill also has political aspects. Both the ruling party BJP and the opposition party Congress have issued whips to their MPs to remain present in Parliament for the next three days. Neither side seems ready to build a bipartisan consensus. For this reason, this bill is going to cause a heated debate in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill is not just a legal change but has become an important issue for the Muslims of the country. This will not only bring changes in the management of Waqf properties but may also affect the religious identity and rights of the Muslim community.
Understand this way, the Waqf Amendment Bill is an important step which has been brought with the aim of improving the system of Waqf management. But along with this, there are also political and religious aspects of this bill which are causing widespread discussion in the country. In the coming days, a heated debate can be seen among the political parties to decide its path in the Parliament which will determine the future of this bill.
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