Former Prime Minister Deve Gowda Endorses Waqf Bill, Emphasizing Protection for Underprivileged Muslims
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Synopsis
Former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda expressed his strong support for the Waqf Bill in the Rajya Sabha, highlighting its role in protecting underprivileged Muslims from wealthier individuals while ensuring that religious practices remain untouched.
Key Takeaways
- Deve Gowda supports the Waqf Bill for safeguarding poor Muslims.
- The Bill focuses on revenue management, not religious practices.
- It aims to regulate over 8.7 lakh Waqf properties in India.
- Judicial oversight is introduced to ensure proper management.
- Historical mismanagement of Waqf properties is addressed.
Bengaluru, April 3 (NationPress) Respected legislator and ex-Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda addressed the Rajya Sabha, voicing robust support for the proposed Waqf Bill on Thursday. This legislation is designed to safeguard impoverished Muslims from their wealthier counterparts, he emphasized.
He clarified that the Bill does not disrupt Muslim religious practices but focuses solely on revenue and administrative issues.
"The new Waqf Bill does not interfere with Muslim religious practices. This is very important to remember," he stated.
According to him, the bill aims to oversee the management of properties under Waqf Boards, which currently administer 8.7 lakh properties covering 9.4 lakh acres throughout India. These assets, valued at approximately Rs 1.2 lakh crore, have suffered from mismanagement due to vested interests.
"This bill protects poor Muslims from their own rich (well-off ones). In the interest of justice, the new bill aligns with the fundamental tenets of our Constitution," Deve Gowda highlighted.
He reiterated that it is the government's responsibility to uphold the rights of all citizens, including Muslims.
"Muslim citizens are also equal citizens of this country. Their interests must be safeguarded by the government, and that is what the bill accomplishes," he asserted.
Reflecting on the historical mismanagement of Waqf properties, he pointed out the infringement of a fundamental principle: "Once a Waqf, always a Waqf."
He noted that properties donated in Allah's name have been exploited by powerful intermediaries, particularly in states like Karnataka.
"Surveys after surveys, incidents after incidents have told us this in the past decades," he remarked.
Deve Gowda commended the bill for fostering transparency and ensuring that Waqf properties benefit the community.
"The donor of the properties is regulated and protected, while the poor Muslim is safeguarded because Waqf properties are fundamentally intended to serve the community and its less fortunate members," he explained.
He dismissed accusations that the bill aimed at religious control, reiterating its focus on revenue management.
"This bill guarantees improved coordination with local revenue authorities," he stated, adding that in the past, individuals involved in Waqf management had made "absurd claims about what belongs to them." Addressing such claims legally, he insisted, necessitated the new bill.
The former Prime Minister stressed that there should be no "legal islands" in the country and that everything must align with the Constitution.
"This bill introduces judicial oversight, which was critically needed," he added.
Deve Gowda also recalled that the Sachar Committee report of 2006, submitted to the then UPA government, had recommended numerous steps to enhance Waqf property management.
"This bill incorporates many of those recommendations. When such is the case, why should the opposition oppose it? They should support it and stand by the poor Muslim," he urged.
Wrapping up his address, he made his position crystal clear. "I support this bill," Deve Gowda concluded resolutely.
