AP CM Naidu to Rebuff Amendments to Central Waqf Act

Vijayawada: The CPIM has urged Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu to reject the “unconstitutional amendments” proposed to the Central Waqf Act and protect the Waqf properties.

The party’s state secretary V Srinivas Rao wrote a letter to Naidu on Sunday, noting that the Constitution has given special concessions to the minorities to preserve their beliefs, language, script and culture. He urged Naidu to put pressure on the Centre to withdraw this bill.

“The rich and wealthy among the Muslims dedicate a part of their wealth in the name of Waqf. Through these properties, they aimed to provide the benefits of charity, educational development and other benefits to Muslims. These properties have been serving this purpose since the time before Independence,” he said.

Srinivas Rao recalled that a comprehensive law (Waqf Act) was enacted in 1954. In its place, another law was passed in 1995 aimed at providing more protection to Waqf properties. However, the central BJP government recently introduced a bill in Parliament proposing 119 amendments to the Act. “Most of these are not for the protection of Waqf properties.”

He said Muslims suspect that these amendments have been made with a view to keeping the management of the Waqf Board under the control of the government.

“An amendment is going to be made to allow non-Muslims to be members of Waqf Boards and appoint non-Muslims as officers, giving full scope for political interference in the formation and management of Waqf Boards. These amendments were intended to hamper the management of Waqf properties,” he said.