New Delhi [India], April 3 : Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday said that the Waqf Amendment Bill will benefit crores of people from the Muslim community and that the property under Waqf has not been properly used in the interest of the poor.
Rijiju, who moved the bill for passing in Rajya Sabha, said the government had strengthened mechanisms under the bill, including tribunals.
"We have included the Right to Appeal in this bill. If you don't get your right in the Tribunal, then you can file a petition in court under this Right to Appeal," he said.
Rijiju said that Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, will be renamed as the UMEED (Unified Waqf Management Empowerment Efficiency and Development) Bill.
Rijiju also accused the Congress-led UPA government of denotifying 123 prime properties on the eve of Lok Sabha polls in 2014 due to "vote bank politics".
"Just before implementation of model code of conduct ahead of 2014 general elections, on March 5, 2014, UPA govt denotified 123 prime properties and handed them over to Delhi Waqf Board. These properties were of the Housing and Urban Affairs ministry," he said.
"If you look at it, then the case was going on since 1970, and it is pending since then, you must have heard of the CGO complex, I can give the list later, they handed over prime properties," he added.
The bill was passed by Lok Sabha on Wednesday. The House sat beyond midnight to pass the Bill.
The government introduced the revised bill after incorporating the recommendations of the Joint Parliamentary Committee, which examined the legislation introduced in August last year. The bill seeks to amend the Act of 1995 and improve the administration and management of waqf properties in India.
The Bill aims to overcome the shortcomings of the previous act and enhance the efficiency of Waqf boards, improving the registration process and increasing the role of technology in managing waqf records.
Parties of the INDIA bloc are opposing the bill.