Kochi: BJP national vice president AP.Abdullakkutti welcomed the Union Government’s decision to leave the Waqf Board Amendment Act for Joint Parliamentary Committee. He hopes that MPs belonging to ‘all parties’ will carry out hair-splitting discussions and take proper decision. Abdullakkutti hoped that the bill piloted by Union Minister Kiran Rijiju, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, would be passed as a law as soon as possible.
BJP leader said that Waqf land is the property a believer dedicates before God. In Dee-ni language, it is Waqf Ala Ouvoola. This is the crux of the Law passed in 1954. But, in 1995, Muslim Appeasement politics spread like a hysteria. By the Waqf Law Amendment ‘Waqf by use’ became a practice. It made the issue worse. There are incidents when grounds used for annual Eid Gah Namaz turned Waqf properties. By twenty years, Waqf land has doubled. Now, the total land under the custody of Waqf Board is 9.4 lakhs acres. The injustices done by the Waqf Board would not be pardoned even by the Almighty. Waqd Board is the largest landlord in the country next to Defence and Railway. During a short span of time, Waqf Board has turned the owner of the lands worth Rs 1.2 lakhs crores.
BJP vice president cited an example: A farmer in Thiruchendur Tamil Nadu, tried to sell one acre of his land. But, the enquiries revealed that it belongs to Waqf Board. The revelation of the Sub Registrar was startling: The entire land in the Thiruchendur village had been designated to Waqf. Similar disputes took places in various villages in Tamil Nadu. It includes the land belonging to the 1500 years old Siva temple. Historians say that the temple is older than the advent of Islam. Really surprising ! Still it happens ! Now, the excessive powers, given to Waqf Board and its Tribunal by the Congress, in 1995 and 2013 should be debated.
Abdullakkutty, former MP and also former MLA said, this particular issue was raised several times in Parliament Committees and Parliament Debates during the UPA regime. The demand for the reformation of the Waqf Law had been raised several times. But, generally, nobody was bold enough to take action. But, one soul had the courage – Narendra Modiji. Now, Waqf Board Amendment Bill has been brought in; just like the abrogation of Article 370, abolition of Muthalaq and establishment of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
BJP vice president added that Indian Waqd Board protected not the interests of the ordinary Muslims but those of some major land mafia operators. Waqf Board amassed acres of land in various states through crooked operations. Some VIPs in the society grabbed those lands and brought them under their possession. They sold them out and made several crores. Abdullakkutti cited another example: C.M. Ibrahim, former Union Minister and prominent Muslim leader of Karnataka, who is very close to E.T. Mohammed Basheer MP, senior Indian Union Muslim League leader and Congress senior leader K.C. Venugopal, grabbed acres of land in Bengalooru City and established his private college there. A case, in this connection, has been pending before the court since 2012. But, none has the right to question the existing Waqf Board Tribunal. That is the excessive power Congress accorded to Waqf Board. That is the crux of the new Waqf Amendment Law.
BJP leader said that Congress echoes the Muslim League allegation that the Waqf Amendment Bill is against the Muslims and is unconstitutional. This is utter lie. This is a false propaganda just like their outcry, in the past, against CAA that it was for driving the Muslims into Pakistan. Corruption-free Haj policy has been formulated under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The goal of this Waqd Board Amendment is a corruption-free Waqf Board. No doubt, Muslim community will realize this tomorrow or day after.
