Hussain questions why the BJP Gov did not do anything about the waqf when they have been in power for 10 years. He alleges that the website of the Central Waqf Council only has Rijiju and there is no one else. The salaries have not been paid to the staff of the waqf Board, in many States, they did not constitute the waqf board.
Dr Syed Naseer Hussain, INC, Karnataka contends the yesterday's statement made by Gov that they brought the Bill to undo the damage UPA Gov did through the 2013 amendments. He adds that in 1995 the senior BJP leaders fully supported the passing of the parent Act. Also, the 2013 amendment was also passed with the support of senior BJP leaders like Advani, Sushma Swaraj, Rajnat Singh.
Rijiju : The name of the Act is UMMEED (Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Act). No one should be having any problem with 'UMMEED' (hope).
Rijiju cites the Kerala HC judgment in 'Syed Fazal Pookoya Thangal vs Union Of India (Uoi) And Ors' which held that the Waqf Board is only a statutory body and not a representative body of the Muslims.
He cites an Allahabad HC judgment 'Hazif Mohd Zafar Ahmd v. UP Central Sunni Board of Waqf' which observed that the role of Muttawali is secular in character and not a religious practice.
Rijiju denies that the Bill is an interference with Islamic religious rights. There is no question of the Bill allowing non-Muslims to manage Waqf properties. The Waqif who creates the Waqf is a Muslim. The muttawali (custodian) is also a Muslim.
Waqf Board is an administrative statutory body, it is not managing the Waqf properties. Inclusion of non-Muslims in Waqf board will not mean non-Muslims are managing Waqf properties. It is like a Charity Commissioner dealing with a religious trust created by a person belonging to another religion.
Rijiju says the Bill was finalised after detailed discussions by the JPC.