New Delhi: Amid uproar, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday introduced the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, as reported by Joint Committee and The Mussalman Waqf (Repeal) Bill, 2024’ in the Lok Sabha and stated that the Bill does not aim to snatch land and mosques and religious places of the minority community.
He said the Bill is in the interest of the Muslim children and women. While moving the Bill, Opposition members resorted to sloganeering and tried to disrupt the proceedings of the House.
Rijiju rebuffed Congress Deputy Leader Gaurav Gogoi’s allegation that this Bill is aimed at defaming , disfranchising the minorities and dividing the country.
The aim of the Bill is to provide better management of Waqf property, the Minister said.
He said the amendments in the Bill were required to make change in the legislation, which were passed during the UPA government.
Targeting the Congress, the Minister said that 123 properties were handed over to Waqf Board by the previous government.
“If we would have not introduced this amendment, even the Parliament building could have been claimed as Waqf property,” he said.
Giving details about the provisions of the Bill, Rijiju said that in the Waqf council, there would be upto four non-Muslim members besides two women. The role of Waqf Board is to supervise the management of Waqf properties by Mutawallis, adding that Waqf board in no way will manage these properties.
Rijiju said that the government wants “a secular and an inclusive Waqf Board” with non-Muslim members as well as women.
The Bill allows up to four non-Muslim experts in the Central Waqf Council, besides two women members.
UNI
