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Uttarakhand Waqf Board Chairman Criticizes Opposition to Waqf Amendment Bill
Uttarakhand Waqf Board Chairman Shadab Shams has launched a scathing attack on those opposing the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, branding them as “political Muslims” aligned with parties such as Congress, Samajwadi Party (SP), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and Janata Dal. According to Shams, these political factions have exploited Waqf properties for decades and are now misleading the Muslim community to protect their vested interests.
Waqf Amendment Bill
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, is scheduled to be introduced in Parliament, with both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress issuing whips to ensure the presence of their Members of Parliament. The proposed bill seeks to bring reforms in the administration of Waqf properties and to rectify long-standing mismanagement, making the system more transparent and accessible, particularly for underprivileged Muslims.
Shadab Shams Criticism
Shams strongly defended the government’s move, asserting that the initiative is aimed at uplifting poor Muslims and integrating them into the mainstream. “Poor Muslims have hopes from PM Modi, and that is why we have named this amendment bill as ‘Ummeed’. Union minister Kiren Rijiju is the ray of hope. PM Modi’s government has decided that it will bring the poor Muslims into the mainstream. It is ’70 saal Vs Modi Karyakal’,” he said.
Political Muslims
He also accused opposition figures and allied organizations of spreading fear among Muslims by falsely claiming that mosques and other religious properties would be taken away. “They (the opposition) looted the Waqf. They looted the rights of the poor. They are scaring the Muslims by saying that mosques will be taken away. Those who are opposing are not Muslims. They are political Muslims of Congress, Samajwadi Party, AAP, and Janata Dal. There are NGOs and committees behind them, such as Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind and the Muslim Personal Law Board, who want to go to the Rajya Sabha through a backdoor. All of them are Waqf beneficiaries. They are worried that it would be taken away from them. They are worried because it will be taken away from the rich. We are sure that PM Modi will pass the Waqf Amendment Bill and give the poor Muslims their rights,” he stated.
The Waqf Amendment Bill has already stirred considerable political debate, with many viewing it as a test of the government’s ability to overhaul a system historically mired in corruption and elite control. Shams’s remarks are likely to intensify the political rift, especially as the bill moves forward in Parliament.
