Bitten By Pseudo Secular Bug

An absurd claim has come to the fore. Badruddin Ajmal of AIUDF (All India United Democratic Front), a major Muslim organisation from Assam, said that the land on which the Parliament building in Lutyens Delhi stands belongs to the Waqf. In the past, too, it was claimed by some that land on which Taj Mahal and some ancient temples in Tamil Nadu were constructed belongs to Waqf. There were also claims that the land of Gyan Vapi and Dev Bhumi Pet Dwarka is also Waqf land. What is shocking is that the opposition parties and bloc INDIA partners are maintaining stoic silence on this issue. It is shocking as to why they are silent even regarding the building where Constitution of India was debated and adopted? Is this the way they want to protect the Constitution?

Has the Congress party learnt any lessons at all from its debacle in Haryana Assembly elections? Does it accept that it is mismanagement, and poor micromanagement, which has made the party lose a golden chance to come to power? Will it now at least change its narrative and strategies, and scale down its policy of appeasement of Muslim minorities in Maharashtra and Jharkhand Assembly elections?

If the latest developments are any indication, the answer appears to be a big ‘No’. The grand old party refuses to recognise the fact that it had won less than100 seats and that too because of the support from INDI alliance partners. It continues to live in its own world and plays the role of big brother and ride rough shod over others. It has currently locked horns with Shiv Sena group led by Uddhav Thackeray (UBT) on seat sharing in Vidharbha region. Congress says their strike rate in Lok Sabha elections was 90% in Vidharbha due to the considerable presence of Muslim and Dalit votes. UBT is not buying this and refuses to relent. October 29 is the last day for filing nominations and the fight is still on.

Amidst this scenario, an absurd claim has come to fore on the political arena. Badruddin Ajmal of AIUDF (All India United Democratic Front), a major Muslim organisation from Assam, said that the land on which the Parliament building in Lutyens Delhi stands belongs to the Waqf. It may be mentioned here that Ajmal was an MP for 15 years in the same Sansad Bhavan and never made any such claim. He further said that he learnt that about 30% of land in Delhi including land from Vasant Vihar in South Delhi to Indira Gandhi International Airport belongs to Waqf. But he has nothing to substantiate the claim. He says it is for the media and government to establish the truth.

In the past, too, it was claimed by some that land on which Taj Mahal and some ancient temples in Tamil Nadu were constructed belongs to Waqf. There were also claims that the land of Gyan Vapi and Dev Bhumi Pet Dwarka is also Waqf land. Not just readers, it is also said that Waqf had issued notices to villagers of Govindpuri in Bihar asking them to vacate the village as land belongs to them. This village consists of 95% Hindus.

This terror has now entered Kerala. The Waqf claims that around 30,000 acres in Kerala belong to them. In a village, 600 families, comprising 400 Christian and 200 Hindu households, were told that the land on which they constructed houses belongs to Waqf. These families have all the necessary documents, paying taxes and have been living for generations. Not just that the Waqf now claims that Munambam an island in the suburbs of Kochi where fishermen have been staying for nearly 100 years also belongs to Waqf.

What is shocking is that the opposition parties and bloc INDIA partners are maintaining stoic silence on this issue. It is shocking as to why they are silent even regarding the building where Constitution of India was debated and adopted? Is this the way they want to protect the Constitution? Is this an example of ‘Mohabat Ki Dukan.” Mohabat towards one section for sake of votes in Maharashtra and Jharkhand polls? Is this the way to protect the Constitution of India?

It appears so because the Congress claims that in Vidharbha region there is a strong combination of Muslim and Dalit voters, and they had voted for Congress in Lok Sabha elections. Apparently, it does not want to lose their support even when claims are being made that the Parliament House belongs to Waqf Board.

Not just the Congress, the entire bloc INDIA is maintaining rock like silence on such bizarre claim made without any basis or proof. The issue of Parliament and over 30% of Delhi being Waqf property seems to have been raked up because the government proposes to discuss the Waqf Amendment Bill during the winter session of Parliament and the INDIA bloc is opposed to amendments as part of its appeasement policy.

The bill, it may be mentioned here, is being examined by the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC). The opposition was quick enough to lodge protest with Speaker of Lok Sabha over a comment of Shiv Sena member who alleged that Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge had occupied Waqf land in Karnataka. The opposition says it is a violation of the parliamentary code of conduct. Fine, but what about the ridiculous claim that Parliament land belongs to Waqf? Why does no opposition party have the spine to say, ‘Hey this is nonsense’?

All MPs have taken oath on the Constitution. They are in Parliament because of the Constitution that was framed from the precincts of this building. Yet, they have no courage to oppose weird claims. How to trust that they will protect the Constitution. Where is the book of Constitution that they have been waving during Lok Sabha elections? Who has given them the right to insult the Constitution? Will they explain what secularism is according to them? Does it mean we can lease out sovereignty to some board? Would they have been so silent if any Hindu trust board had claimed that some mosque land or tomb belongs to them?

To me it appears to be a perfect example of pseudo-secularism. This is not a trivial issue. What if the next move is to ask the Government of India to pay rent for Parliament building from the day it came into existence and GST from the time it was introduced? The most notable point to be noted here is that exactly a day after claims regarding Sansad Bhavan being Waqf property, AIMIM extended an olive branch to Congress saying it was ready for seat adjustment in Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra.

Let’s take a quick look at the two bills – the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, and the Mussalman Waqf (Repeal) Bill, 2024 – that were introduced on August 8, 2024, in the Lok Sabha with an aim to streamline the Waqf Board’s work and ensure the efficient management of Waqf properties say.

The objective of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, is to amend the Waqf Act, 1995, to redress the issues and challenges in regulating and managing Waqf properties. According to the government, the Amendment Bill seeks to improve the administration and management of Waqf properties in India. It aims to overcome the shortcomings of the previous act and enhance the efficiency of Waqf boards by introducing changes such as renaming the Act, updating the definitions of Waqf, improving the registration process, and increasing the role of technology in managing waqf records.

The primary objective of the Mussalman Waqf (Repeal) Bill, 2024 is to repeal the Mussalman Waqf Act, 1923, a colonial-era legislation that has become outdated and inadequate for managing Waqf properties in modern India. The repeal aims to ensure uniformity, transparency, and accountability in the administration and management of Waqf properties under the Waqf Act, 1995, thus eliminating inconsistencies and ambiguities caused by the continued existence of this redundant law

The Act provides for appointments of a Survey Commissioner and additional commissioners to survey waqf. The Bill instead empowers Collectors to do the survey. Pending surveys will be conducted as per the state revenue laws.

The Act proposes a Central Waqf Council to advise the central and the state governments and Waqf Boards. The Union Minister in-charge of Waqf is the ex-officio chairperson of the Council. The Act requires that all Council members be Muslims, and at least two must be women. The Bill instead provides that two members must be non-Muslims. MPs, former judges, and eminent persons appointed to the Council as per the Act need not be Muslims.

This, the Muslim organisations and members of the bloc INDIA seem to be opposing. Appeasement should not mean disturbing the socio-political eco system of the country and allow some sections to make weird claims. It was this divisive tactic which had cost Congress heavily in Haryana. If it refuses to change its strategy and narrative, well it will have an uphill task in these two states.