Citizens Call for Abrogation of Waqf Act, Slam Parallel Powers.
In a loud, clear message, citizens are now asserting that one Constitution and the Supreme Court are the only ruling powers in India. No religious dictates should ever prevail over them. Their target?
The Waqf Act, a law that many feel operates like a parallel government within the states, granting sweeping powers to a particular community under the guise of religious charity.
The Waqf Act, passed in 1995, might have been meant for managing properties like mosques and graveyards, but over the years, it has transformed into something much larger and more controversial.
Why, citizens ask, should a religious body be granted such legal might that it has its own legislature, executive, and judiciary? They demand an answer: “Is there a Hindu equivalent of the Waqf Act? Why not create one in the name of equality and see what happens?”
According to critics, the Waqf Board isn’t just managing properties; it’s holding unprecedented power—power that many say belongs to the state alone. "World over, property disputes are settled using existing laws.
Why, then, does one community get an additional set of rules in India?" said a prominent voice.
“If this law stays, we should also be ready to watch Hindus claim mosques and Muslim villages using their own set of rules.”
For those calling for action, amending the Waqf Act is a half-measure, nothing more than chopping off a head of a hydra—fix one part, and the beast continues to live.
They’re asking for its complete abrogation. “Amendments won’t cut it. Sections like 28, 8, 101, and 54 still stand like pillars of discrimination. The law’s essence remains untouchable,” they say.
This isn’t about tweaking laws; it’s about **ensuring one rule for all**. A law that allows a religious body to act like a **shadow government**, in a democracy as diverse as India, doesn’t fit the bill, argue many.
The citizens’ demand is clear: Abrogate the Waqf Act. They argue that India cannot allow itself to drift into parallel systems of governance, especially when it threatens the principles of equality.
And their message to the country’s elected leaders? "Do the right thing. Don't be cowards. Abrogate the Act."
The movement is gaining momentum. *“This isn't just about mosques or religious land; it's about justice, equality, and ensuring no community, no matter how big or small, gets undue power at the cost of others.”
Muslim mobilization against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 seems to be fueled by misinformation where the head of the campaign is none other than AIMIN Chief Assudin Owaisi.
Propagandists claim that if the Bill passes, Muslims will lose all mosques, mausoleums, and madrassas. But does that mean the community had none before the Waqf Act of 1995*?
The Waqf boards were first set up in 1913 under British rule, and the Mussalman Waqf Act of 1923 regulated the management of Waqf properties. Waqf refers to the permanent endowment of assets for religious or charitable purposes, typically initiated by benefactors, known as Waqifs.
Going by this history, it's clear mosques and madrassas existed well before these laws.
Waqifs and other Muslim organizations are spreading campaign against the proposed Amendment fearing that they might loose all waqf properties.
Will the people listen to Owaisis or listen to reason? Rows over Waqf Act will only grow louder.
