Modi says Muslim youths would not have to ‘fix punctures’ if waqf land had been used properly

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday claimed that Muslim youths would not have had to “fix punctures” if waqf land had been properly used for the benefit of the community.

“In the name of waqf, there are lakhs of hectares of land,” Modi said in Haryana’s Hisar after laying the foundation stone of a new terminal building at the district airport. “If benefits from waqf properties had been given to the poor, it would have helped them.”

He alleged that the “land mafia” had benefitted from waqf properties instead.

“The loot of the poor will stop with this amended waqf law,” the prime minister said. “Under the new waqf law, land or property belonging to any Adivasi cannot be touched by the waqf board…Poor Muslims and Pasmanda [Dalit and backward caste] Muslims will get their rights. This is real social justice.”

A waqf is a property dedicated to a religious, educational or charitable cause under Islamic law. Each state has a waqf board led by a legal entity that is vested with the power to acquire, hold and transfer property.

The recent changes to the law curb the authority of waqf boards and allow greater government control over them.

The 2024 Waqf Amendment Bill brought changes to 44 sections of the 1995 Waqf Act, including allowing non-Muslims on waqf boards, restricting property donations and changing how waqf tribunals function.

The bill was passed by Parliament on April 4. The Janata Dal (United) and Telugu Desam Party, both allies of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, supported the bill. It received presidential assent on April 5 and took effect on April 8.

The Congress and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, among others, have challenged the constitutionality of the bill in the Supreme Court.

Protests have broken out in parts of the country over the amendments, with incidents of violence reported in several regions. In West Bengal’s Murshidabad district, three persons died when demonstrations against the law turned violent.

At his rally on Monday, Modi also alleged that amendments made to the Waqf Act in 2013 by the Congress government “undermined the very spirit of the Constitution”.

The BJP leader claimed that this “opened the door for land mafias to seize land” belonging to marginalised communities.

“We received numerous letters from Muslim widows who were suffering due to these injustices,” Modi said. “After hearing their stories, we realised that reform was necessary. Under the new waqf law, the waqf board will no longer have the authority to claim the land or property of any tribal individual, anywhere in India.”

Modi also accused the Congress of “focusing on playing vote bank politics”, The Hindu reported.

“If in the true sense they have even a little bit of compassion towards Muslims, then the Congress party should appoint a Muslim as its party president,” the newspaper quoted him as saying. “Within the party [Congress], they don’t want to give anything, but on the other hand, they keep snatching the rights of the country’s citizen, which has exposed their intention of not working towards the welfare of anyone, especially the Muslims.”

📰 Crime Today News is proudly sponsored by DRYFRUIT & CO – A Brand by eFabby Global LLC

Design & Developed by Yes Mom Hosting