Uttarakhand Waqf Board chairman says those opposing Waqf bill are 'political Muslims'

NEW DELHI: Uttarakhand Waqf Board chairman Shadab Shams on Wednesday criticized the opposition for opposing the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024. He said that poor Muslims have expectations from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and described the situation as "70 saal vs Modi Karyakal" (PM Modi’s term versus the past 70 years). Shams said that the Central government, under PM Modi, has decided to bring poor Muslims into the mainstream. "Poor Muslims have hopes from PM Modi, and that is why we have named this amendment bill as 'Ummeed'. Union minister Kiren Rijiju is the ray of hope. PM Modi's government has decided that it will bring the poor Muslims into the mainstream. It is '70 saal Vs Modi Karyakal'," Shams said while talking to the news agency ANI.He further criticized the opposition, saying they had 70 years in power and misused Waqf resources. "They (the opposition) looted the Waqf. They looted the rights of the poor. They are scaring the Muslims by saying that mosques will be taken away. Those who are opposing are not Muslims. They are political Muslims of Congress, Samajwadi Party, AAP, and Janata Dal. There are NGOs and committees behind them, such as Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind and the Muslim Personal Law Board, who want to go to the Rajya Sabha through a backdoor. All of them are Waqf beneficiaries. They are worried that it would be taken away from them. They are worried because it will be taken away from the rich. We are sure that PM Modi will pass the Waqf Amendment Bill and give the poor Muslims their rights," he added. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, is scheduled to be introduced in Parliament today. Both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress have asked their MPs to be present.The bill will be presented after the Question Hour and will be followed by an 8-hour discussion, which may be extended. Allies of the BJP and Congress have also instructed their MPs to be present in Parliament on April 2 and 3. The opposition has opposed the bill, with Samajwadi Party (SP) chief whip Dharmendra Yadav instructing all SP MPs in the Lok Sabha to attend the discussion. The bill was first introduced in the Lok Sabha in August last year. A Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), led by Jagdambika Pal, was later formed to review it. The bill seeks to amend the Waqf Act, 1995, to improve the management and regulation of Waqf properties. It proposes renaming the Act, updating the definition of Waqf, improving registration procedures, and increasing the use of technology in maintaining Waqf records. The Waqf Act, 1995, was originally enacted to regulate Waqf properties, but concerns have been raised about mismanagement, corruption, and encroachments.