Govt will not acquire Waqf property, says JPC Chairperson and BJP leader Jagdambika Pal

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In response to growing concerns from the All-India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) over the Waqf Amendment Bill, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmaker Jagdambika Pal assured that Waqf properties will remain under Waqf control, and the government has no intention of acquiring any Waqf property.

Pal, who chairs the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) tasked with reviewing the bill, emphasised that the committee is carefully considering all suggestions and concerns raised about the proposed amendments. He announced that a detailed report would be prepared and presented in the next parliamentary session, ANI reported.

"The government has introduced the bill to improve the administration of Waqf properties. We have made amendments and established a Joint Parliamentary Committee to address all concerns. We are actively engaging with stakeholders and will submit our report in the first week of the next session," Pal stated.

Addressing the opposition's apprehensions, Pal reiterated, "I want to make it clear that Waqf properties will remain under Waqf control. The government will not acquire any Waqf property."

In addition, Pal met with former Union Minister of Minority Affairs and former Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, K Rehman, to discuss issues related to the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024.

Earlier, on August 25, AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi voiced strong objections to the bill. He pointed to chapter 11 of the Structure Committee report, which references Waqf properties in six states where the government has taken over Waqf assets. Owaisi cited the example of Delhi, where the government has allegedly taken control of 200 Waqf properties. He accused the Modi government of attempting to eliminate the "Waqf by user" principle, arguing that Waqf properties, being private and charitable in nature, should not be treated as public assets. He further criticized the bill's requirement for deed registration, warning that failure to comply could lead to government takeovers.

On the issue of appointing non-Muslim members to the Waqf board, Owaisi highlighted the Kashi Vishwanath Temple Act of 1983 in Uttar Pradesh, which stipulates that only Hindu members are eligible for the temple board, suggesting that a similar principle should apply to Waqf boards.

The Joint Parliamentary Committee, consisting of 31 members - 21 from the Lok Sabha and 10 from the Rajya Sabha - has been entrusted with a thorough examination of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2023, introduced during the budget session of Parliament. While the government argues that the amendments are necessary for better governance of Waqf properties, opposition parties have raised concerns about potential overreach and the impact on the autonomy of Waqf institutions.

(With ANI inputs)