New Delhi: After facing flak from the Opposition over the Waqf (Amendment) Bill and its provisions, the Modi government and the BJP are now at the receiving end of criticism from its own members, ThePrint has learnt.
Sources indicate that during a BJP Minority Morcha meeting on 27 August, some members voiced their concerns and displeasure about the Waqf bill. Union Minister for Minority Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, was present at this meeting.
“The meeting was called to discuss the membership drive and it was also felt that a session could be held on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill and its provisions. However, soon after the session started, a number of members questioned Uttarakhand Waqf Board chairman Shadab Shams who was speaking on the issue and was describing it as being beneficial to the poor sections of the Muslim community,” said a Minority Morcha functionary present at the meeting.
Speaking to ThePrint, Jamal Siddiqui, National President of BJP Minority Morcha, said the programme was on the membership drive and a session was held on Waqf board to ensure all the office bearers and leaders are aware of its provisions and its positives.
“These workers will go and meet the common public as part of the membership drive and it was felt that they should know the positives of the Bill and hence a session was held on it and was appreciated by all. Many members asked questions but there was no dispute at all,” said Siddiqui.
However, some members expressed worry about the membership drive itself, saying that since it requires them to go door-to-door to persuade people to join the BJP, they would face tough questions about the BJP government’s intentions regarding the Waqf (Amendment) Bill.
“A few functionaries pointed out that such critical issues are being tabled directly in the Parliament and despite being members of the Minority Morcha, they were not even consulted,” said the functionary quoted above. “People come to us and ask us questions regarding it and we have no reply. It sends out the wrong impression and the image of the party as being anti-Muslim is given credence by such moves.
The BJP launched its membership campaign on 2 September, aiming to enlist 10 crore new members, with a special focus on increasing participation from the minority community. As part of this effort, the Minority Morcha has set a target of recruiting 50 lakh new members across the country, and party leaders are meeting with various frontal organisations to achieve this goal.
“The opposition has been creating a state of confusion and has been trying to mislead people. The idea behind the session on Waqf was to ensure the morcha members are aware of the intent of the government as well as provisions of the amendment Bill so that then they go out and connect with the people and bring out the true picture,” Shadab Shams said to ThePrint. He also pointed out that the amendment is aimed at weeding out corruption, creating greater transparency and is in favour of the Muslim community, especially the poor sections of the society.
According to another functionary, when Shadab Shams presented this argument during the meeting, one person countered it. “The functionary said that they were not against any move to bring in greater transparency but the provision for non-Muslims to be part of state Waqf boards and the Central Waqf Council raises a doubt in the mind of the Muslim community,” he said.
Also read: RSS says no issue with caste census if needed for welfare, but shouldn’t be used as political tool
Concerns about Waqf Bill
The Bill, which was tabled in Parliament earlier this month, proposes 44 amendments to the Waqf Act of 1995 for “effective management” of waqf properties and to “enhance efficiency” of waqf administration.
The Modi government has proposed to replace a provision in the 1995 Act allowing “any person” to give his/her property for waqf use, with “any person practicing Islam for at least five years”.
Opposition MPs have questioned who can determine if a person has been practicing Islam for five years, a point also raised by several Islamic organisations.
The amendment Bill has faced criticism from the Opposition, with AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi calling for a nationwide protest against the proposed legislation.
Sources said that at the meeting, Rijiju assured the members and functionaries that their suggestions and concerns have been noted and would be addressed.
After the minister’s assurances, Minority Morcha functionaries suggested that both the government and the party should take steps to dispel misconceptions related to the Waqf Bill.
Another functionary told ThePrint that some among them were “upset” over the fact that their views were not taken into account by the party or the government. “This was a platform where any question could be asked. They are our own people. So, there is no question of being angry, but they were concerned that their views were not taken beforehand and we explained that the government decided to send it to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to ensure everyone’s views are taken into consideration,” he said.
“The functionaries are now clear about what’s there in the bill and when they reach out to the (Muslim community), they will be able to answer all their queries,” the functionary added.
At the same time, facing opposition from a number of Muslim bodies, the Minority Morcha has also decided to seek suggestions on the law to present it to the parliamentary committee examining the Bill.