"We're not targeting anyone, Oppn wants to create an atmosphere": Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on stir over Waqf bill

New Delhi [India], August 8 : Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said on Thursday that the central government is not targeting anyone by bringing amendments to the Waqf Board Act and added that the opposition parties want to "only create an atmosphere."
"We are not targeting anyone. They (Opposition) want to only create an atmosphere. Our minister will explain in detail when he introduces the bill. They want to misguide some people in the community. They are trying to tarnish the image of India. We are one of the best democracies in the world," Pralhad Joshi said while speaking to ANI.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday moved the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 in Lok Sabha. Congress MP KC Venugopal opposed the bill in the House and dubbed it an "attack on the federal system."
"We are Hindus but at the same time, we respect the faith of other religions. This bill is specialized for the Maharashtra and Haryana elections. You do not understand that last time the people of India taught you a lesson. This is an attack on the federal system," Venugopal said while speaking on the bill in the House.
DMK MP Kanimozhi said that it is a direct violation of Article 30 which deals with minorities to administer their institutions. "This bill targets a particular religious group," she said. JMM MP Mahua Maji said that particular religions should not be targeted.
RJD MP Misa Bharti said that INDI alliance parties and RJD will oppose this bill. "The government is not talking on issues of unemployment, inflation," she said. TMC MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay said, "This amendment bill should come through the Standing Committee. We (the opposition) will oppose this bill unitedly."
The BJP leaders backed the proposed amendments to the Waqf Board Act which was introduced earlier today in the lower house. Former Union Minister and BJP Leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that this bill is to provide a solution to the harassment happening in the name of the Waqf Board system.
"This is the need of the hour. Within the framework of the constitution, this Bill is being brought and it will strengthen the path of development. There should be proper discussion on it but you cannot stop it, you cannot mislead it," he added.
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla claimed this bill was a longstanding demand of the Muslim community. "I have seen the tweet of Akhilesh Yadav and the reactions of Congress and INDI alliance. 'Waqf to banana hai, INDI alliance ko fir se vote bank ko bhadkana hai'. This amendment is a longstanding demand of the Muslim community. The Waqf is at number three in land holding after Railways and Defence. When Akhilesh Yadav and Congress oppose this amendment, they're standing with those people who have grabbed these lands, illegally," he said.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav earlier alleged that in the disguise of amendments, the BJP is trying to sell the lands of Waqf Board and instead of 'Janata' in BJP, they should add 'Zameen' in it.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 was introduced today in the Lok Sabha to amend the Waqf Act, 1995. The bill seeks to "effectively address issues" related to the powers of the State Waqf Boards, registration and survey of waqf properties and removal of encroachments.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, Waqf Act provides for the renaming of the Waqf Act, 1995, as the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Act, 1995It seeks to clearly define "waqf" as waqf by any person practising Islam for at least five years and having ownership of such property and ensure that the creation of Waqf-alal-aulad does not lead to the denial of inheritance rights to women.
It also seeks to omit the provisions relating to the "waqf by user", provide the functions of the Survey Commissioner to the Collector or any other officer not below the rank of Deputy Collector duly nominated by the Collector for the survey of waqf properties, provide for a broad-based composition of the Central Waqf Council and the State Waqf Boards and ensure representation of Muslim women and non-Muslims.
It provides for the representation of Shia, Sunni, Bohra, Agakhani and other backward classes among Muslim communities, streamlining the manner of registration of waqfs through a central portal and database and providing for a detailed procedure for mutation as per revenue laws with due notice to all concerned before recording any property as waqf property. The bill further seeks to omit section 40 relating to the powers of the Board to decide if a property is waqf property, provide for filing of accounts of waqf by mutawallis to the Board through a central portal for better control over their activities, reform the Tribunal structure with two members and provide for appeals against the orders of the Tribunal to the High Court within a specified period of ninety days.