Advocate Ashwini Upadhyay Criticizes Waqf Board, AMIM Chief Assaudin Owaisi Responds
New Delhi, India, August 5: Advocate Ashwini Upadhyay has criticized AMIM Chief Assaudin Owaisi, questioning the constitutional validity of the Waqf Board. Upadhyay argued that the Waqf Board’s existence is against the Indian Constitution, as the term ‘Waqf’ is not mentioned in it. He stated, “Assaudin Owaisi is a Barrister, he should show us where the word Waqf is mentioned in the constitution.”
Upadhyay further added, “The Waqf board has 10 lakh acres of land, which is more than the area of the world’s 50 countries. This is against one law in one country. Waqf board was introduced by Jawaharlal Nehru and further, the Congress prime ministers strengthened them. Waqf board has claimed a village of Tamil Nadu, a 1500-year-old temple as their and many properties of Delhi as theirs.”
He questioned why there is a separate board for Muslims but not for other religions like Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Judaism, or Zoroastrianism. Upadhyay welcomed the government’s decision to amend the Waqf Board, calling it arbitrary.
Owaisi’s Response
On the other hand, AMIM Chief Assaudin Owaisi accused the Modi government of trying to take away the autonomy of the Waqf Board. He said, “Firstly, when Parliament is in session, the central government is acting against parliamentary supremacy and privileges and informing the media and not informing Parliament. I can say that whatever has been written in the media about this proposed amendment shows that the Modi government wants to take away the autonomy of the Waqf Board and it wants to interfere. This itself is against the freedom of religion.”
Owaisi also alleged that the BJP has been against these boards and Waqf properties from the very beginning and they have been working on a “Hindutva agenda.” He warned that amendments to the Waqf Board would lead to administrative chaos and loss of autonomy.
Proposed Amendments
The central government is considering making amendments to the Waqf Act, which could restrict the power of the Waqf Board. Sources indicate that 32-40 amendments are being considered. The Waqf Act, first passed in 1954, was repealed and replaced in 1995, with further amendments in 2013 to give more powers to the Waqf Board. The proposed amendments aim to make it mandatory for the Waqf Board to register its property in the District Collector’s office and enhance inclusivity by ensuring women’s representation on the Central Waqf Council and state boards.
Doubts Revealed
Advocate -: An advocate is a person who argues for someone else in court. They are like a lawyer.
Ashwini Upadhyay -: Ashwini Upadhyay is a person who works as an advocate in India. He talks about laws and rules.
Waqf Board -: The Waqf Board is a group that manages properties and money given for religious or charitable purposes in Islam.
AMIM -: AMIM stands for All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen. It is a political party in India.
Assaudin Owaisi -: Assaudin Owaisi is the leader of the AMIM party. He is a politician in India.
Constitutional validity -: Constitutional validity means whether something follows the rules written in the Indian Constitution, which is the main set of laws in India.
Modi government -: The Modi government refers to the current government of India led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Autonomy -: Autonomy means being able to make decisions on your own without others controlling you.
Amendments -: Amendments are changes or additions made to laws or rules.
Waqf Act -: The Waqf Act is a law in India that talks about how Waqf properties should be managed.
District Collector -: A District Collector is an important government officer in charge of a district, which is a part of a state in India.
