Key Points
Bill regulates 8.7 lakh Waqf properties worth Rs 1.2 lakh crore
Ensures transparency in religious property management
Protects poor Muslims from potential mismanagement
Aligns with Constitutional principles
Veteran parliamentarian and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda spoke in the Rajya Sabha, strongly supporting the new Waqf Bill. He clarified that the bill does not interfere with Muslim religious practices but strictly deals with revenue and administration matters. "The new Waqf Bill does not interfere with Muslim religious practices. This is very important to remember," he asserted.
The bill, he explained, aims to regulate the administration of properties under Waqf Boards, which currently control 8.7 lakh properties spanning 9.4 lakh acres across India. These assets, estimated to be worth Rs1.2 lakh crore, have been mismanaged due to vested interests.
"This bill protects poor Muslims from their own rich. In the interest of justice, the new bill has been aligned with the basic principles of our Constitution," Deve Gowda emphasized.
He reiterated that the government has a duty to protect the rights of all citizens, including Muslims.
"Muslim citizens are also equal citizens of this country. Their interests have to be protected by the government, and that is what the bill does," he said.
Lamenting the historical mismanagement of Waqf properties, he highlighted the violation of a fundamental principle: "Once a Waqf, always a Waqf." He pointed out that properties donated in the name of Allah had been misused by powerful intermediaries, particularly in states like Karnataka. "Surveys after surveys, incidents after incidents have told us this in the past decades," he noted.
Deve Gowda praised the bill for introducing transparency and ensuring that Waqf properties serve the community. "The donor of the properties is regulated and protected, and the poor Muslim is protected because Waqf properties are basically meant to serve the community and the poor in the community," he said.
He dismissed claims that the bill was about religious control, reiterating that it is focused on revenue management. "This bill ensures better coordination with local revenue authorities," he said, adding that in the past, individuals involved in Waqf management had made "absurd claims about what belongs to them." Addressing such claims legally, he insisted, required the new bill.
The former Prime Minister stressed that there could be no "legal islands" in the country and that everything must align with the Constitution. "This bill creates judicial oversight, which was very necessary," he added.
Deve Gowda also recalled that the Sachar Committee report of 2006, submitted to the then UPA government, had recommended several measures to improve Waqf property management. "This bill takes a lot of those recommendations into account. When such is the case, why should the opposition have any problem? They should welcome it. They should stand by the poor Muslim and support this bill," he urged.
Comments:
Finally some transparency in Waqf management! This has been needed for decades. Hope it actually helps the poor Muslim community as intended 🙏
As a Muslim, I welcome this bill. Our community properties should benefit the needy, not line pockets of corrupt officials. Deve Gowda's explanation makes sense.
While the intentions seem good, I hope the implementation will be fair. Sometimes these "reforms" end up creating more bureaucracy than solutions.
Alhamdulillah! This is what we've been waiting for. Our masjid properties have been misused for too long. Hope this brings real change insha'Allah 💚
Respectful criticism: The bill might be good in theory, but will the oversight committees have proper Muslim representation? That's crucial for credibility.
My grandfather donated land to Waqf 40 years ago. Last I heard, it's now a shopping complex. This bill gives me hope that such abuses will stop!
