Fathullah Mohammad says some clauses of the Bill will bring about “collector raj” on Waqf land, calls for debate to iron out contentious provisions
In the recently concluded Budget Session of Parliament, the BJP-led NDA government introduced the Waqf Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha, triggering protests from the Opposition INDIA bloc.
The general secretary of the Telugu Desam Party’s minority cell, Fathullah Mohammad, has called certain sections of the Bill “concerning” and urged his party to consult Muslim leaders before backing it in Parliament. With Muslims making up almost 12-13% of Andhra Pradesh’s population, the TDP wants to ensure that it does not rub the community the wrong way by backing “contentious” clauses of the proposed Bill. The community, which is concentrated in the Rayalaseema region of the state, is seen to be a significant vote bank of the TDP and seemingly played a crucial role in ensuring a landslide victory in the recent Assembly and Lok Sabha polls.
Excerpts:
What are your concerns about the Waqf Bill?
There are at least 40 sections in the Bill that are detrimental to Muslims and the functioning of the Waqf boards. The TDP welcomes the Bill but the changes in the draft Bill are a cause of concern.
Amendments are meant to strengthen the legislation or law but instead in the draft (of the Waqf Amendment Bill) we find that everything is being diluted. There are five or six major points that need to be addressed.
The Central Waqf Council has a provision to have two Muslim MPs as members. This rule has been done away with and a provision has been made to appoint two women as members. We have no objection to that but the fact that they should be Muslims has been struck off.
The work of the Waqf board involves visiting religious places such as mosques and dargahs and only those Muslims with the knowledge of faith can fulfil certain duties.
the dilution of the Waqf tribunal, which is appointed by the government and has a sitting or retired judge as its head, is another point of contention. The tribunal ensures that Waqf properties are protected from encroachment. Now, the Bill gives the power to district collectors, who are likely to heed state government orders. This will start “collector raj” on Waqf land.
Also, the proposal to induct two non-Muslims into the state Waqf board defeats the purpose of Waqf. We fear these amendments will only lead to more encroachment of Waqf properties.
Have you taken up the issue with your party president N Chandrababu Naidu?
We in the TDP welcome the amendments to the Bill. We are not against it but feel that the Waqf board should be strengthened through the changes and not the other way round. Changes to the Waqf laws have been made numerous times in the past — before and after Independence — but they have never diluted the board.
I was in Delhi when the Bill came up for discussion in the Lok Sabha. I have taken up the issue with our MPs and the party leadership and met them along with secretary of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind M Abdur Rafique, assistant secretary Inaumur Rahman, and retired IAS officer Haseebur Rahman to discuss our concerns. Our MPs contacted the CM who advised them to refer the Bill to the Joint Committee.
Though the TDP is a partner in the NDA, we feel there is scope for discussion and debate, the outcome of which must be amenable to all.
>How did your party react to your concerns?
It is good that Naidu, who understands our concerns, advised the referral of the Bill to the Joint Committee. Vijayawada MP Kesineni Sivanath and Amalapuram MP G M Harish are also in favour of discussion and debate on the clauses that can be detrimental to Muslims and could be misused.
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