Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], March 26 : Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahali, a member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), addressed concerns regarding the Waqf Amendment Bill, asserting that over 90 per cent of Waqf properties consist of masjids, kabristans, dargahs, and imambaras.
Speaking to ANI, he emphasised that these properties generate no income, questioning the basis for objections raised against them.
"More than 90 per cent of the properties are in the form of masjids, kabristans, dargahs, and imambaras. There is no income from these properties. So, there is no reason why objections are being raised. These properties have been managed by the Muslim community for hundreds of years," Maulana Khalid Rasheed said.
Earlier on Wednesday, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) launched a nationwide protest against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in Patna.
Bharatiya Janata Party MP and Chairman of the JPC on the Waqf Amendment Bill, Jagadambika Pal, criticised AIMPLB for its nationwide agitation, accusing the board of politicising the issue.
Pal stated, "The way AIMPLB is doing politics in the name of Waqf, they are trying to mislead the minorities and Muslims of the country."
He further addressed the controversy surrounding the bill, referring to the Joint Parliamentary Committee's (JPC) report, which indicated that the government is preparing to introduce the amended law. He pointed out that despite the bill not being passed yet, AIMPLB was already organising protests for political reasons.
"Right now, the law hasn't even come, yet, based on planned politics, they are already heading to Patna," Pal said.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, aims to address key challenges by introducing reforms such as digitisation, enhanced audits, improved transparency, and legal mechanisms to reclaim illegally occupied properties.
The proposed amendment seeks to ensure that Waqf properties are utilised for their intended purposes, benefiting both the Muslim community and the country as a whole.