Pressure from poor Muslim groups to amend Waqf Act, says Kiren Rijiju

Union government considers amending Waqf Act to address demands from poor Muslim groups, with consultations ongoing for years.

As the Union government prepares to amend the Waqf Act, 1995, Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju told The Hindu on Tuesday (August 6, 2024) that there is a long-standing demand from “poor Muslim groups” to amend the legislation.

Mr. Rijiju said a decision to introduce a Bill to amend the Act in the ongoing session of the Parliament was “still under consideration.”

The Minister said, “There is pressure from poor Muslim women and groups to manage the Waqf properties in a transparent manner. Several groups have been demanding reforms to the Act. Consultation with various groups has been going on for many years.”

The government is yet to circulate a copy of the Bill among the members of parliament (MPs) in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

Waqf refers to the properties dedicated exclusively for religious or charitable purposes under the Islamic law. Waqf Boards currently control 8.7 lakh properties spanning 9.4 lakh acres across India with an estimated value of 1.2 lakh crores. It makes them the third largest landowner in India after the armed forces and the Indian Railways. The Act was last amended in 2013.

The members of the All India Sufi Sajjadanashin Council (AISSC) who met Mr. Rijiju on Monday welcomed the proposed amendments terming it “a long-awaited reform.”

“Our council and various organisations have constantly submitted memorandums over the past decades, urging amendment to the current legislation as it lacks any provisions for safeguarding the interests of the Sufi traditions, and its customs,” a communique from the AISSC said.