New Delhi, April 3 (HS): In the Rajya Sabha, Congress member Dr. Syed Naseer Hussain discussed the Waqf (Amendment) Bill-2025, critiquing BJP leaders for questioning amendments made during the Congress-led governments of 1995 and 2013, which the BJP previously supported. He initiated the opposition's discussion by recalling statements from BJP leaders Bandaru Dattatreya and Sikandar Bakht, who backed the 1995 bill.

Similarly, Shah Nawaz Hussain and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi supported the 2013 amendments. Dr. Hussain questioned the BJP's current stance, pointing out the inconsistency if they believed the amendments were unconstitutional at the time. He labeled the ongoing discourse around the Waqf bill as rooted in misinformation and highlighted the lack of action from the BJP in their decade-long governance regarding the promised transparency and empowerment of the Waqf Board. He noted the absence of a governing council on the Waqf Board website, contrasting with the inaction in BJP-ruled states where no state Waqf boards had been established.

Dr. Hussain criticized claims that the BJP brought recommendations for the Waqf Board from the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), revealing that discussions hadn't adhered to stipulated clauses, with no input from the opposition considered. He emphasized that the concept of Waqf revolves around donations that are integral to all religions, and mentioned that Waqf boards were set up to oversee such donations. He defended the amendments of 1995 and 2013 as measures aimed at fortifying the Waqf Board, protecting property, eliminating encroachers, and ensuring transparency, pointing out the prior support from BJP when those amendments were introduced.

He challenged the National Government's accusations that the Waqf Board could arbitrarily claim land, labeling it a falsehood. Sharing his experience as a member of the Karnataka Waqf Board for over six years, he outlined the rigorous investigation processes in place before any land is declared Waqf. Furthermore, he refuted the government's assertion that tribunal decisions cannot be legally challenged, affirming their reviewability.

Dr. Hussain expressed concern over new provisions suggesting only Muslims can donate to the Waqf Board, emphasizing the troubling criteria imposed on potential donors, including a requirement to practice Islam for five years. He ended with provocative questions about how one's adherence to Islam would be verified, criticizing the absurdity of potential surveillance methods. He asserted that the government's focus on the Waqf by User provision underscores a genuine interest in controlling property and land rather than supporting religious entities.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar