Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju in Rajya Sabha 3. April 2025. Photo: Sansad TV via or
The Minister of the Union Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Thursday (April 4, 2025) on Thursday (April 4, 2025) rejected the opposition that the WAQF law (amendment) was focused on the grapping of Muslim land or their rights. When he submitted the bill in Rajya Sabha, he tried to mitigate the concerns that non -Muslims would become a decisive body in the Central Waqf Council and that the real estate used for a long time but had no documents would be endangered.
Mr. Rijiju also tried to clean the air in the inclusion of non -Muslims in the Central Waqf Council, which stressed that Muslims would remain in most of the council and the fear of it was unfounded. He also explained that the proposed legislation has nothing to do with religion, but only dealt with the qualities. The Minister also informed the house that in 2004 the real estate was 4.9 Lakh WAQF, which has now increased to 8.72 Lakh. The features of WAQF, according to available data, said, was the largest piece of real estate in the country, except defense and railways. “Here it was said that Muslims would be damaged by the step we take. Many people said it was unconstitutional, illegal and the right of Muslims is torn … I want to reject all these charges very categorically,” Mr. Rijiju said.
He also stressed that the amendment was introduced into the bill after undergoing parliamentary inspections in a joint parliamentary committee, which proposed that the bill should not be carried out retrospectively.
He also said that out of 22 members at the Central Waqf Council, no more than four would be non -Muslims, including former members of Officio, except three members of the parliament who could be any religion. The Council must include two women members, he added.
The question that most non -Muslims did not arise, repeated.
Published – April 4 2025 01:34 IS
