Modi govt wants to snatch Waqf properties: Owaisi

Hyderabad: AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday alleged that the Modi government wants to snatch Waqf properties from Muslims and interfere with the freedom of religion through proposed amendments to the Waqf Act.

Issuing a video statement, he said that the media reports on the proposed Bill for amendments to the Waqf Act show that the government intends to dilute the autonomy of the Waqf Board and give powers to the executive to decide disputes relating to Waqf properties.

The Hyderabad MP slammed the BJP-led government at the Centre for proposed amendments to restrict the powers of the Waqf Board.

Owaisi questioned the proposed amendment to do a survey of Waqf properties in case of disputes.

“If a property is disputed, it is the judiciary which decides. How can political executive decide the disputes,” he asked.

The MP alleged that the Modi government wants to create disputes with surveys. “To make a property disputed, they will do a survey and write that it is not Waqf property,” he said and pointed out that there are several mosques and dargahs that BJP and RSS claim are not mosques and dargahs.

Owaisi said BJP’s allies have to decide whether they will allow Waqf properties to be snatched from Muslims. “There are many Waqf properties in Bihar and Andhra Pradesh. Will they allow the BJP government to snatch these properties,” he asked without naming Janata Dal (United) and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP).

He also hit out at the government for not informing the Parliament about the proposed amendments. “When Parliament is in session, the government is acting against Parliamentary supremacy and privileges. It is informing the media but not the Parliament,” he said.

Reacting to media reports, Owaisi lashed out at the government, accusing it of conspiracy to snatch Waqf properties.

When Parliament is in session, it is the government’s responsibility to inform Parliament.

He said that the proposed amendments show how the Modi government wants to snatch the autonomy of the Waqf board and wants to interfere against the purpose of ‘Waqif’ on how the property endowed by him should be administered. This is against the freedom of religion, he said and mentioned that once a property is declared Waqf always remains Waqf.

“The BJP from the beginning has been against the Waqf Board and Waqf properties. They have a Hindutva agenda. The RSS from the beginning made attempts to finish the Waqf Board and Waqf properties,” he said.

The Waqf Act empowers the Survey Commission appointed by a state government to identify Waqf properties and make a list. The Survey Commission sends the list to the state government and the government issues gazette notification. If the gazette notification is not challenged in a month, the properties listed become Waf properties.

“The Modi government wants to change it. In the case of properties which were already declared Waqf, it has to be established again that they are Waqf properties,” he said, adding that the conclusive nature of the gazette is being diluted.

Owaisi said this would also give encroachers a chance to claim Waqf properties as their properties. “Under the Waqf Act, there is a Waqf Board in every state and it is responsible for the management and administration of Waqf properties. Amendment to Wakf Board establishment and composition will lead to chaos and loss of autonomy of Wakf Board. The government will have greater control over the Waqf Board. Media reports suggest the government wants to dilute the powers of Waqf tribunals,” he added.