Debate Over Waqf Amendment Bill Heats Up Amidst Protests and Political Accusations

Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahali of AIMPLB voiced concerns over the Waqf Amendment Bill, challenging the objections raised against non-income-generating Waqf properties. The proposed bill has sparked nationwide protests led by AIMPLB. BJP criticizes these protests as politically motivated, while the government aims for reforms in property management.

Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahali, representing the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), has raised significant objections to the Waqf Amendment Bill, highlighting that over 90 percent of Waqf properties like mosques and cemeteries generate no income, questioning the rationale behind opposition to them.

In a recent conversation, he noted that these properties have long been managed by the Muslim community. His remarks came as the AIMPLB initiated nationwide protests against the bill, notably in Patna, stressing the bill's perceived threats to community-managed Waqf estates.

Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party MP Jagadambika Pal criticized the protests, suggesting they're politically driven, aiming to mislead minorities. The Joint Parliamentary Committee is reviewing the bill, intending to implement reforms like digitisation and transparency to improve Waqf property management, meeting skepticism from AIMPLB.

(With inputs from agencies.)