'Retrograde': Telangana Waqf Board opposes Waqf Amendment Bill

Hyderabad, Aug 26 : The Telangana Waqf Board on Monday unanimously opposed the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024, terming it a retrograde step to target the Muslim community and Waqf institutions.

A meeting of the state Waqf Board, presided by Chairman Syed Azmatullah Husseni and attended by seven members including Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi, resolved to reject the proposed amendments to the Waqf Act.

Owaisi said that the Telangana State Waqf Board became the first Waqf Board in the country to oppose the "unconstitutional" Waqf Amendment Bill. He thanked Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy for his support in opposing the Bill.

The Board rejected the bill as a retrograde step to target the Muslim community and Waqf institutions and condemned the divisive agenda being pushed through the controversial bill.

It also resolved to meet the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf Amendment Bill to present the requisite document/data. It decided to meet all Chairpersons/CEOs of Waqf Boards of states ruled by non-BJP parties.

According to a statement released after the meeting, the Waqf Board had gone through carefully and diligently the proposed Waqf Amendment Bill 2024, clause by clause, and had also discussed the issue with legal experts and administrators. It said that it was convinced about the harmful and damaging effects of the provisions of the Bill and passed a resolution rejecting the proposed amendments.

"It is obvious to the Board that the proposed bill has been prepared with a particular mindset and aims at destroying the autonomy of the Waqf Board and the very institution of Waqf by bringing the Waqfs under the total control of Collectors who will be free to claim and determine any Waqf property as government property and give directions to Mutawalli (custodians) and its compliance will be binding on Mutawalli," said the resolution.

"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 the Council and Board eventually become non-Muslim dominated," reads the resolution.

The meeting also noted that the bill is against the principle 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 Central government.

The Telangana Waqf Board also mentioned that the proposed bill seeks to perpetuate communal discrimination as several provisions are in direct contrast with the provisions of the Hindu Endowment Act. The meeting felt that the bill is a direct infringement of Articles 14, 19, 21, 25 and 300-A of the Constitution of India as it interferes with the freedom of religion and right to property, in as much as it prohibits a Muslim from dealing with his/her own property unless he is certified to be a practising Muslim for five years.