Ajmer (Rajasthan) [India], April 1 : Syed Naseruddin Chishty, the Chairman of All India Sufi Sajjadanashin Council, rebuked Congress leader Imran Masood's accusation that he was "brokering" for the BJP over the Waqf Bill and challenged him to 'prove' his remarks.
Syed Naseruddin Chishty criticised Masood for making such remarks, emphasising his deep-rooted connection to the Ajmer Dargah and calling for more respect and civility in political discourse.
Syed Naseruddin Chishty hit back at Congress leader Imran Masood after he accused Chishty of acting as a "broker" for the BJP regarding the Waqf Amendment Bill and said, "It is shocking that a respected member of Parliament has no knowledge of the Ajmer Dargah. When he made those remarks, he appeared troubled, and he must have been troubled at the time."
Chishty, who is known for his association with the revered Ajmer Sharif Dargah, further emphasised, "It does not suit an MP to use such language. You may have had to give a political comment, but let me remind you that I am the son of the Gareeb Nawaz, before whom you bow in respect."
He underscored the Ajmer Dargah's 800-year legacy and pointed out that respect should be the foundation of political speech. "You get respect when you give respect," Chishty added.
Addressing Masood's accusation of "dalaali" or brokering, Chishty challenged him to provide evidence of such actions.
"Please prove where 'dalaali' has been done. Just because we haven't supported your statements and are speaking logically, does that make me a 'dalal'?" he asked.
Chishty also questioned the Congress party's actions on the Waqf Bill, particularly in Uttar Pradesh, where Masood hails from.
"Please tell me what steps Congress has taken regarding the safety of Waqf properties in the state. What have you done to protect them?" he said.
This comes after Congress MP and Waqf Amendment Bill JPC member Imran Masood came down heavily on Syed Naseruddin Chishty, accusing him of "brokering" for the BJP.
Masood said, "Yeh dalaali band kare BJP ki," on Syed Naseruddin Chishty's statement.
The Chairman of the All India Sufi Sajjadanashin Council (AISSC), Syed Naseruddin Chishty, on Monday expressed support for reforming the Waqf Board, urging the Muslim community not to be swayed by "emotional provocative statements" made against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill and to believe the government's official statements on the act's intentions.
"The government of India has already expressed its intention regarding the Waqf (Amendment) Bill that it is bringing...The JPC has heard all the parties very patiently and sent a report to the government. Hopefully, the bill that will come will be good...I believe that the existing Waqf Act needs to be changed, and no one needs to be afraid of it... We should believe the official statements only. An attempt is being made to provoke emotions, which is wrong," he said.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, also called the 'Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development (UMEED) Bill, ' aims to address key challenges by introducing reforms such as digitisation, enhanced audits, improved transparency, and legal mechanisms to reclaim illegally occupied properties.