Waqf System Reforms Spark Controversy

Former Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi calls for reform in Waqf boards, asserting that communal attacks on inclusive reforms are unjust. The government plans to amend the 1995 Waqf Act to improve transparency, which has been met with opposition from several Muslim organizations and leaders like AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi.

Former Minority Affairs Minister and senior BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Sunday urged the Waqf system to abandon the 'touch-me-not' syndrome, asserting that communal resistance to inclusive reforms is unjust.

Naqvi's comments came in the wake of the government's plan to introduce a bill in Parliament aimed at amending the 1995 Waqf Act. The proposed amendments seek to enhance accountability and transparency in Waqf boards' functioning, including mandatory registration of properties and the inclusion of women in these bodies.

This move has drawn criticism from several Muslim organizations and clerics. The All India Muslim Personal Law Board has expressed strong opposition, stating that interference with the Waqf boards' legal status and powers will not be tolerated. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi accused the BJP-led NDA government of attempting to undermine the autonomy of Waqf boards as part of a broader Hindutva agenda.

(With inputs from agencies.)