Who started the Waqf Board?

Waqf Act was first passed in the Parliament in 1954 by Nehru government to appease one particular community where 90% of them demanded separate country called Pakistan but only 10% actually migrated to Pakistan. Many of those who migrated gifted their property to Waqf board while this should come under ‘enemy property’ as happened in Pakistan. Subsequently, it was repealed and a new Waqf Act was passed in 1995 which gave more powers to Waqf Boards. In 2013, this Act was further amended to give far-reaching draconian powers to the Waqf Board to designate the property as 'Waqf Property'.

Politicians used this Waqf Borard laws to further appease one community further. Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal promised them that his govt will reclaim Mukesh Ambani’s multibillion dollar house which Waqf Board claim as theirs once they form government in Maharashtra. After this Kejriwal’s AAP party got less than NOTA votes in 2019 Maharashtra elections and refused to fight 2024 assembly election. Now Modi 3.0 modified Waqf legislation to curb random snatching of property from individuals for which they can’t even appeal in civil courts.

It was a huge corruption and this is the reason Waqf Borad property has grown over the so much that they are now third largest land owner after armed forces and railways. Armed forces and railways had huge land bank even before independence. Waqf Borad property expansion happened after independence thanks to PM Nehru. The modified Waqf Borad act will improve accountability and transparency. It will also include women members which means more empowerment for women.

UP CM Yogi Adityanath had shown strictness and ordered a survey regarding illegal occupation of Waqf Board properties in Uttar Pradesh. Survey of Waqf properties has been done in Kanpur. Sunni Waqf Board and Shia Waqf Board have a total of 1670 properties in Kanpur district. The survey has revealed that 548 of the Waqf Board's properties are government properties. A total of 1670 properties have been identified in all four tehsils of the district. Sunni Waqf Board has 1635 properties and Shia has 35 properties in Sadar Tehsil. Apart from this, Waqf Board has 189 properties in Ghatampur Tehsil, 388 in Bilhaur and 144 in Narwal. The district administration has surveyed all the properties and sent the report to the government.

Another Nehru’s blunder will disappear now?

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Govt likely to introduce Bill to amend Waqf Act in Rajya Sabha this week: Sources

The amendment bill will make it mandatory for Waqf boards to register their properties with district collectors to ensure their actual valuation. The bill is set to be introduced in the Parliament in the current session.

https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india/waqf-act-amendments-likely-to-be-introduced-first-in-rajya-sabha-sources-latest-updates-2024-08-05-945340

'Waqf Bill Is For Women And Children, Backward Muslim Communities': Kiren Rijiju Responds To Opposition's Objections

Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju responded to the objections raised by the Opposition leaders on the introduction of Waqf Amendment Bill 2024 in Lok Sabha on Thursday (8 August). He claimed that this Bill violates not a single clause of the Indian Constitution. He cited a Supreme Court ruling that the Waqf Board does not fall in the purview of Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution. Rijiju clarified that the Bill does not take away the rights of anyone, instead, it gives rights to those, who were deprived hitherto. "This Bill is not presented in the House for the first time. After independence, this Act was brought first in 1954. Many amendments happened. We are bringing the amendment due to provisions put in 2013," he added. "I want to tell the House, especially the Congress party, we are bringing the amendments to do what you could not," Rijiju said urging all members to support the Bill as it would uplift common Muslims. "A 1976 Waqf Enquiry Report said that all Waqf Boards have been captured by mutawallis and something should be done for it. Audit and account management should be informed," the Minister said. He added that two committees were formed by Congress for the welfare of Muslims. The Sachar Committee report says that the Waqf lands had the potential to generate Rs 12,000 crore but only Rs 162 crore was generated. Rijiju read another recommendation of the Sachar Committee report that asks for a broad base of Waqf Board and having two women in the Central Waqf Council. "Sachar Committee prioritises women and children. This is what our Bill is doing," Rijiju said quoting a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) report which alleges that Waqf Boards are inefficient and mismanaged. "Waqf Board should be computerised, data should be centralised and relooked at, the JPC report recommended. You should applaud use that what you could not do, we are doing," the Minister said. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi walked out after this. Rijiju said that this is a sign of his agreement with us but he had to oppose it due to political pressure. On the allegation that no wider consultations were done before bringing the Bill, the Minister said, "If Tribunal is wrong, then it is good that we are giving a provision to appeal in the court. How it is unconstitutional?" "In a democracy, is it right to have an arrangement where the Tribunal's decision cannot be challenged? In our country, no special law can be super law, they cannot be above the Constitution," he added. "We are removing a provision that did not have any law of limitation. Earlier, if anybody claimed any relation to any property, it was declared a Waqf property. This is the right time to rectify that mistake," he said. The Narendra Modi government is removing Section 108 of the Waqf Act, the Minority Affairs Minister said adding that complaints in hundreds were received regarding illegal occupation of Waqf land. "If a community dominates to crush smaller groups of Ahmediyas, Bohras and Aga Kha

https://swarajyamag.com/news-brief/waqf-bill-is-for-women-and-children-backward-muslim-communities-kiren-rijiju-responds-to-oppositions-objections

'Waqf Board has been captured by mafia, Bill based on Sachar Report': Kiren Rijiju's point-by-point response to Opposition

"The Bill has no provision for interference in the religious body's freedom. The bill does not violate any Article of the Constitution," says Rijiju

https://www.businesstoday.in/india/story/waqf-board-has-been-captured-by-a-few-kiren-rijijus-point-by-point-response-to-opposition-440699-2024-08-08