Chief Priest of Ayodhya Temple Supports Changes to Waqf Board Act
The Chief Priest of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya, Acharya Satyendra Das Ji Maharaj, has welcomed the government’s proposed amendments to the Waqf Board Act. He stated that these changes are a good step as they will ensure women have a share in the Waqf board’s properties. He questioned the basis of the Waqf board’s ownership of properties and emphasized the need for a review of these properties, including their monetary value and acquisition process.
Acharya Satyendra Das Ji Maharaj said, “The review will be done by the administration, and every aspect of the property will be checked, including monetary value, the basis of ownership, source of the land, and process of acquisition.” He also questioned how the Waqf board acquired government land without payment and stressed that these properties should be reviewed by the district magistrate.
However, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav opposed the move, alleging that the BJP aims to take away the rights of Muslims. He urged those concerned about reservations and minority rights to leave the BJP.
The central government is considering 32-40 amendments to the Waqf Act, which was first passed in 1954 and amended in 1995 and 2013. The proposed changes aim to make it mandatory for the Waqf Board to register its properties with the District Collector’s office for evaluation and to ensure women’s representation on the Central Waqf Council and state boards.
Doubts Revealed
Chief Priest -: A Chief Priest is the main religious leader in a temple who performs important rituals and ceremonies.
Ayodhya -: Ayodhya is a city in India, known for being the birthplace of Lord Ram, a major deity in Hinduism.
Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple -: This is a famous temple in Ayodhya, believed to be the birthplace of Lord Ram.
Acharya Satyendra Das Ji Maharaj -: He is the Chief Priest of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya.
Waqf Board Act -: The Waqf Board Act is a law in India that manages properties donated for religious or charitable purposes in the Muslim community.
Waqf properties -: These are properties given for religious or charitable purposes in Islam, like mosques or schools.
Samajwadi Party -: This is a political party in India, often abbreviated as SP.
Akhilesh Yadav -: He is the president of the Samajwadi Party and a politician in India.
BJP -: BJP stands for Bharatiya Janata Party, a major political party in India.
District Collector -: A District Collector is a government official in charge of administration and revenue collection in a district.
