Waqf Act: 'Waqt' for Waqf to change? How the battlelines are drawn
Waqf Board on three ancient ASI-protected monuments in Burhanpur as Waqf property. A large number of properties in India have come under the Waqf claim over past decades, some of which that made it to the headlines were Mukesh Ambani's home, Antilia, in Mumbai, two islands in Bet Dwarka in Gujarat, properties of the ISB, Microsoft, Wipro and Lanco in Hyderabad, Kolkata's Tollygunge Club, Royal Calcutta Golf Club, ITC Windsor Hotel in Bengaluru and a whole village and a temple said to be 1,500 years old in Tamil Nadu.
Also Read: Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 moved in Lok Sabha
The Waqf Board has been at the centre of several controversies, mostly due to its claims on lands, and many had demanded amendments to the law governing it. Bringing the spotlight on the controversial Waqf law, Union Minister of Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju has moved Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 in Lok Sabha today amid opposition by several opposition MPs
BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has endorsed the government's proposed amendments to the Waqf Act of 1995, emphasising their potential benefits for both the Waqf system and the broader community. «It's good for both — Waqf and 'waqt',» Naqvi stated, reflecting his belief that the reforms are timely and necessary.
What the critics of Waqf law say
The Waqf Boards have come under criticism for various reasons, chiefly for land scams, outrageous claims over lands and unbridled powers of Waqf Boards.
Sufi shrines body welcomes proposed amendments to Wakf Board Act
Section 40
