BJP Forms Team to Discuss Waqf Board Amendment with Muslim Community
New Delhi, September 1: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Minority Front has created a seven-member team to engage with the Muslim community about the Waqf Board Amendment Act 2024 and gather their suggestions. The team will report to the BJP National President and the Chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC).
Team Members
The team includes:
- Shadab Shams, Chairman of Waqf Board Uttarakhand
- Sanawar Patel, Chairman of Waqf Board Madhya Pradesh
- Chaudhary Zakir Hussain, Administrator of Waqf Board Haryana
- Mohsin Lokhandwala, Chairman of Waqf Board Gujarat
- Maulana Habib Haider, National Executive Member of BJP Minority Front
- Nasir Hussain, National Executive Member of BJP Minority Front
- Rajbali, former Chairman of Waqf Board Himachal Pradesh
This team was formed on August 31.
Purpose and Activities
The BJP high command has instructed the Minority Front to appoint members to interact with the Muslim community regarding the Waqf Board Amendment Bill. The members will discuss with Muslim scholars to understand their concerns and gather suggestions. They will also explain the necessity of the amendment and its benefits for the minority community.
The committee will visit various states, interacting with Muslim scholars to address any misconceptions and doubts within the minority community.
Opposition and Public Involvement
Jamal Siddiqui, National President of the BJP Minority Front, stated that many Muslim religious leaders have been consulted about the amendment and have expressed no issues with it. He emphasized that the BJP aims to free Waqf properties from illegal occupation and protect the rights of poor Muslims. Siddiqui accused opposition parties of engaging in politics by opposing the BJP.
The JPC has invited views and suggestions from the public, NGOs, experts, stakeholders, and institutions. Written suggestions can be sent to the Joint Secretary of the Lok Sabha Secretariat within 15 days from the advertisement’s publication.
Committee Meetings
The Joint Committee on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, chaired by Lok Sabha MP Jagdambika Pal, held its first meeting on August 22. The committee consists of 31 members, including 21 from Lok Sabha and 10 from Rajya Sabha.
On August 31, Jagdambika Pal posted on X that a delegation of religious leaders and Muslim scholars, led by Hazrat Syed Nasiruddin Chishti, shared their views on the Waqf Board at his Delhi residence.
The next JPC meeting is scheduled for September 5 and 6, where representatives from various ministries and stakeholders will provide oral evidence and suggestions on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024.
Doubts Revealed
BJP -: BJP stands for Bharatiya Janata Party. It is one of the major political parties in India.
Waqf Board -: A Waqf Board is a legal body that manages properties and assets donated for religious or charitable purposes in Islam.
Amendment -: An amendment is a change or addition made to a law or a legal document.
Minority Front -: The Minority Front is a wing of the BJP that focuses on issues and concerns of minority communities in India.
Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) -: The JPC is a group of members from both houses of the Indian Parliament who come together to discuss and review specific issues or bills.
Illegal occupation -: Illegal occupation means using or living on a property without the legal right to do so.
