A Joint Parliamentary Committee has approved 14 changes to the Waqf Amendment Bill, which was introduced in the Lok Sabha last August. The bill aims to alter how Muslim charitable properties, known as waqf, are managed. These amendments have sparked debate, with the ruling BJP defending them and opposition leaders criticizing the changes as unconstitutional.
One of the amendments mandates that waqf councils at the state and national levels must include at least two non-Muslim members. This could increase the number of non-Muslims in these councils if nominated members are also from other faiths. Another amendment shifts the authority to decide if a property qualifies as waqf from the District Collector to a state-nominated officer. Additionally, the new rules will not apply to properties that are already registered, a decision that Congress leader Imran Masood criticized. “Almost 90 percent of waqf properties are unregistered. This amendment leaves them vulnerable,” he said.
The amendments include a controversial proposal by BJP MP Tejasvi Surya requiring individuals who donate land to waqf to prove they have practiced Islam for at least five years. “This will ensure transparency and prevent misuse,” Surya said.
Members of the ruling BJP and allied parties proposed 23 changes to the bill, while the opposition suggested 44. However, none of the opposition’s proposals were accepted. The JPC voted along party lines, with 16 MPs from the BJP and its allies supporting the amendments and 10 opposition members opposing them.
Opposition leaders, including AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi and DMK’s Kanimozhi, have called the bill an attack on religious freedom. “This is a direct violation of Articles 15 and 30 of the Constitution,” Owaisi argued. Kanimozhi added, “The inclusion of non-Muslims on waqf councils undermines the autonomy of these institutions.”
Defending the amendments, BJP leaders claimed they are designed to empower Muslim women and ensure fairness. “Women have suffered under the old law, and these changes will address their concerns,” a BJP leader stated.
The final vote on these amendments will take place on January 29, with the JPC report expected by January 31. Asaduddin Owaisi, however, warned, “This bill is not just a reform; it’s an attack on our constitutional rights.”
