New Delhi: The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has announced a nationwide agitation against the proposed Waqf Amendment Bill, sparking a heated political debate. However, BJP MP and Waqf JPC Chairman Jagdambika Pal has accused AIMPLB of misleading the minority community and attempting to create unrest in the country.
“Whether it is Imran Masood or AIMPLB, they are trying to misguide the minorities. They want to create instability in the nation through these protests,” Pal stated on Monday. He questioned the logic behind the protests, asserting that the government has not even introduced the amended bill yet. “What is the AIMPLB protesting against when the government has not even brought the amended bill yet?” he asked.
Pal further pointed out that Imran Masood, a member of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on Waqf, had actively participated in the voting process and was well aware of the upcoming changes. “Imran Masood was part of the clause-by-clause voting. He knows that a better law is on its way. The new law will benefit the poor and remove those who have misused Waqf properties, yet they are protesting to spread anarchy,” he added.
AIMPLB’s Nationwide Agitation Plan
AIMPLB, on the other hand, has vowed to oppose the bill, calling it “controversial, discriminatory, and damaging.” A statement by AIMPLB Office Secretary Mohd Vaquar Uddin Latifi confirmed large-scale protests, beginning with sit-ins outside state assemblies in Patna on March 26 and Vijayawada on March 29.
SQR Ilyas, spokesperson of AIMPLB and Convener of the Action Committee Against the Waqf Bill, expressed gratitude to Muslim organizations, Dalit, Adivasi, and OBC leaders for their solidarity. “Without the grace of Allah and the united support of these groups, the success of the Delhi demonstration would not have been possible,” he said. He also thanked opposition MPs for rejecting the proposed legislation.
Understanding the Waqf Amendment Bill
The Waqf Act of 1995 was initially introduced to regulate Waqf properties, but over time, it has faced criticism due to alleged mismanagement, corruption, and illegal encroachments. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, seeks to introduce reforms such as digitization of Waqf records, stricter audits, improved transparency, and legal measures to reclaim illegally occupied properties.
