On Thursday, PDP leader Waheed Para condemned the proposed amendments to the Waqf Act, alleging that they are designed to undermine the Act’s authority and diminish its control over its priorities.
He characterized these changes as a deliberate attack on Muslim institutions, intended to dismantle entities that have preserved the community’s heritage for decades.
“The amendments to the Waqf Act are crafted to weaken its powers and remove its control over key priorities. This systematic assault on Muslim institutions aims to dismantle those that have safeguarded our heritage for many years,” Para stated in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
The bill proposing these amendments, to be introduced in the Lok Sabha, includes several significant changes. It suggests renaming the Waqf Act, 1995, to the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development Act, 1995.
The new amendments are also aimed at the the inclusion of Muslim women and non-Muslims in Waqf boards and also seek to create a separate Board of Auqaf for the Boharas and Aghakhanis.
The bill seeks to remove Section 40, which grants the board authority to determine if a property is Waqf property. It also aims to broaden the composition of the Central Waqf Council and State Waqf Boards to include various Muslim communities and backward classes.
The proposed law will establish a central portal for Waqf registration and introduce detailed procedures for property mutations.
The Waqf Act, 1995, originally designed to regulate Waqf properties donated for religious or charitable purposes, was last amended in 2013. The new amendments aim to streamline the management and registration processes while enhancing representation across different Muslim sects and communities.