Waqf move: Recipe for political slugfest

The Bill seeks to limit the authority of the boards to declare any property as a waqf asset' and take control of it.

- Biswajeet Banerjee

A political slugfest has erupted as the Narendra Modi government prepares to overhaul the existing Waqf Act of 1995, The amendment embedded Bill, with 40 changes, is likely to be introduced in the Lok Sabha on Monday, August 5.

The bill, approved by the Union Cabinet on Friday, proposes to repeal several clauses of the Act.

August 5 has a special import for the Modi government: Article 370 was abrogated on this date in 2019; again, the foundation stone of the Ram temple in Ayodhya was laid by PM Narendra Modi on this date in 2020.

Currently, there are 30 Waqf boards across the country in 28 states and union territories.

The Bill seeks to limit the powers of the Waqf Board. Key points include restricting the authority of the boards to declare any property as a 'waqf asset' and take control of it.

The ruling BJP claims the amendments are a longpending demand of the Muslim community, as the bill seeks to curb the unfettered rights of Waqf boards to declare any land as its own.

In contrast, the opposition argues the action is aimed at scoring political brownie points ahead of by-elections in Uttar Pradesh and upcoming assembly elections in Haryana, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and Delhi.