New Delhi [India], April 2 : Delhi All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) President Shoaib Jamai on Wednesday warned of a nationwide movement, which would be initiated from the national capital, if attempts were made to "forcibly" impose the Waqf Amendment Bill.
He said that attacks on rights granted by the constitution to minorities would not be tolerated.
"If an attempt is made to forcibly impose the Waqf Bill on Muslims, there will be a nationwide movement, and it will start from Delhi. 'The movement will start from where it ended last time.' We will use our democratic rights and will not tolerate any attack on the rights given to minorities in the constitution," Jamai posted on X.
The bill is being tabled in the Lok Sabha by Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju in the ongoing budget session.
Despite opposition to the bill, women from the Muslim community in Delhi and Bhopal came out in support of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill. The members of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Minority Morcha in Mumbai's Borivali were seen distributing sweets and celebrating the bill's tabling, which aims to amend the Waqf Act of 1995.
Wasim R Khan, President of Mumbai BJP Minority Morcha, lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that this bill would help poor Muslims. "I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for bringing this bill as it will help poor Muslims. Those who considered Waqf properties as their 'baap ki jaagir' would get under control. This bill should have been brought much before," Khan told ANI.
Speaking on the opposition to the bill, Khan said that Waqf properties were supposed to benefit the poor but only benefited the rich. Dismissing the objections raised by the opposition, Khan alleged that they want Muslims to remain poor.
BJP MP Jagdambika Pal, who was the Chairman of the JPC on the Waqf Amendment bill on Wednesday, said that the Bill, which is going to be tabled in the Parliament for passing, would benefit poor and Pasmanda (backward) Muslims. Labelling it as a "historic day", Pal said that the hard work of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), which took stakeholders in several states in confidence, has paid off. He added that JPC meetings were held and opposition was heard for eight hours every day.
BJP leader Mohsin Raza on Wednesday expressed gratitude towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the Waqf Amendment Bill is set to be moved in the Parliament, saying that passing of the amendments to the Waqf Act would be the biggest "Eidi" for marginalised Muslims.
The Amendment Bill seeks to improve the administration and management of waqf properties in India. It aims to overcome the shortcomings of the previous Act and enhance the efficiency of Waqf boards by introducing changes such as renaming the Act, updating the definitions of waqf, improving the registration process, and increasing the role of technology in managing waqf records.
The Waqf Act of 1995, enacted to regulate Waqf properties, has long been criticised for issues such as mismanagement, corruption, and encroachments.