New Legislation Introduced to Prevent Waqf Exploitation, States Tripura CM

Agartala, April 17 (NationPress) The Chief Minister of Tripura, Manik Saha, announced on Thursday that the Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025 has been enacted in Parliament, intending to tackle accusations of the misappropriation of Waqf properties by certain leaders, the misuse of Section 40, land grabbing, and other forms of corruption.

During an address at the Janajagaran Abhiyan organized by the ruling BJP, the Chief Minister emphasized that the flaws in the Waqf Act 1995 had a detrimental impact on the poor Muslims within marginalized communities.

In line with a nationwide campaign, the Janajagaran Abhiyan was initiated to educate the Muslim community about the newly amended law.

“Many individuals are unaware of Waqf, but upon the introduction of the bill, we read and comprehended it. The Congress and CPI-M are attempting to sow confusion among the populace. Whenever positive changes are made, they instigate protests and chaos. They did the same during the abolishment of Triple Talaq by PM Modi,” Saha stated.

He affirmed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi consistently advocates for ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vishwas’.

“I would like to reassure the minority Muslim community that every initiative from PM Modi is aimed at the welfare of all,” Saha remarked.

The Chief Minister noted that the first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, established the Waqf Board in 1954, with the governing law for the board enacted in 1995.

“In 2013, additional powers were granted to the Waqf Board, which led to issues of illegal land occupation. Certain self-proclaimed leaders exploited this for personal gain, resulting in crores of rupees being diverted to them,” he explained.

Despite having significant assets, there has been a notable absence of social and developmental initiatives. The Waqf properties lacked transparency, and to address this, the amendment bill was proposed, Saha added.

He further revealed that the number of pending cases has escalated from 10,381 in 2013 to 21,618 now, due to inadequate accounting and auditing of Waqf properties.

According to data from September 2024, Waqf Boards across 25 states and Union Territories have declared a total of 5,973 government properties as Waqf properties.

“Can you fathom how such properties can be classified as Waqf? Some individuals are attempting to instigate unrest over these matters. However, we are resolute and will not yield. I have instructed the police to take stringent measures against those who attempt to incite disorder using Waqf,” Saha, who also oversees the Home portfolio, asserted.

Observing that incidents have already occurred in certain areas, the Chief Minister firmly stated that this act is essential and expressed gratitude to PM Modi on behalf of Tripura.

This Waqf act also aims to enhance the economic and social standing of Muslim women, he noted, including plans to digitize Waqf records to combat corruption, establish legal support centers for family disputes and inheritance rights, and bolster cultural preservation and interfaith dialogue.

“Previously, transparency was lacking, and we are striving to foster transparency in this matter,” he concluded.

Former Tripura Chief Minister and Lok Sabha Member Biplab Kumar Deb, state BJP President and Rajya Sabha Member Rajib Bhattacharya, BJP state General Secretary Amit Rakshit, and state party’s Minority Morcha President Billal Mia were also present at the launch of the Janajagaran Abhiyan.