Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Bareilvi, National President of the All India Muslim Jamaat, responded to the Central government's intention to bring about an amendment in the Waqf Board Act.
He welcomed the government's move to bring legislation to check the blatant misuse of Waqf Board properties and assets.
Maulana Bareilvi criticized the existing Waqf Boards and accused board members of conniving with land mafias in misappropriating Waqf Board properties.
He lamented that had the Waqf Boards carried out their duties well, then there would have been a considerable amount of development within the Indian Muslim community, and none would have been in a state of deprivation.
Not only this, he said, but also criticized the Central government for its 'prolonged silence' over such issues and expressed hope that the new bill would address these concerns.
He said that the Waqf Board properties are meant to impart education to the poor and destitute Muslim children, besides extending a helping hand to the orphaned children and widows, but claimed these assets were sold by corrupt officials.
Maulana Bareilvi lambasted the state and Central governments for keeping silent on the misdeeds of the Board officials.
The central cabinet, sources say, is considering over 40 such amendments to the Act. These include mandatory verification of the property claims by the Waqf Board to a revamp of the Central and State Waqf Board Councils to include women, and new procedures for verifying disputed lands claimed by state Waqf Boards.
The Waqf Board Act was constituted in 1954 during the then regime of Jawaharlal Nehru, which worked towards rationalizing the Waqf management and its provisions. This subsequently led to the establishment of Central Waqf Council in the year 1964, working under the purview of Ministry of Minority Affairs that extends advisory support in matters related to Waqf Boards. This act was amended in 1995 for establishing Waqf Boards in each and every state and the Union Territory.
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