Waqf panel member Nishikant Dubey: ‘We’ve settled concerns that this Bill will steal Waqf properties’

There couldn’t beryllium a amended Bill to supply mediocre Muslims their rights. Our efforts and discussions connected the Bill were focused connected settling disputes oregon wherefore the authorities Waqf boards are not capable to function… The Opposition couldn’t recognize the Bill and looked astatine it done the lens of their enactment line. This was unfortunate due to the fact that contempt the state getting Independence 75 years ago, Muslims are socially, economically backward, and person been near down successful acquisition too. They person to beryllium brought to the mainstream due to the fact that they can’t beryllium considered arsenic lone ballot banks. They person the aforesaid rights arsenic members of each different communities.

The Opposition mishandled it (the committee) for ballot slope politics. They tried to propulsion a vessel astatine the chairperson (TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee had smashed a solid vessel during a heated debate), utilized expletives, argued, showed nary spot towards the chairperson (Jagdambika Pal). For the archetypal clip since the Constitution came into being, members were suspended from a parliamentary committee…

All this was upsetting. But I americium blessed with the mode NDA parties worked successful this committee. The time this Bill is passed, Muslims volition articulation the mainstream.

Amendments projected by NDA members were accepted by the committee, portion those by the Opposition were not. Do you deliberation the cleared amendments volition code the issues raised by the Muslim assemblage regarding the Bill?

The archetypal amendment was by me, which was to code the interest implicit the ‘Waqf by user’ issue. People thought this instrumentality would beryllium retrospective, and Waqf properties would beryllium taken away. No instrumentality tin beryllium retrospective and each registered Waqf properties volition stay so. No 1 tin instrumentality them away.

Where is determination a fight? Where determination are disputes – civilian ones, implicit authorities properties, force property. We person fixed a large alleviation done this… We person addressed the concerns that this Bill volition bargain Waqf properties.

The Opposition members are saying that if lone amendments by NDA members were to beryllium accepted, determination was nary constituent successful forming the committee.

They (the Opposition members) didn’t sermon the amendments. They wanted to abolish the Bill and lone wanted fights. They privation to harass Muslims and bash appeasement politics. Do Muslims not ballot for the TDP, oregon bash they not ballot for me? We privation to bring Muslims to the mainstream, and they privation to bash appeasement. If they are truthful acrophobic astir Muslims, wherefore didn’t Saharanpur MP Imran Masood travel connected Monday for the meeting? The aforesaid for NCP (SP) subordinate Suresh Mhatre. AAP subordinate Sanjay Singh who shouts extracurricular for Muslim votes didn’t come…

Our genuine amendments were passed and we didn’t fto their rubbish amendments beryllium passed.

The Opposition has besides said successful a associated connection that 95% of the stakeholders who deposed earlier the committee opposed the Bill, and that contempt this, the authorities wants to walk it.

Who are the stakeholders? Are lone Muslims the stakeholders? I volition archer you 1 tiny happening which I said to Deoband clerics and (Hurriyat leader) Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. Sharia says that Waqf volition tally arsenic per Sharia law. I agreed. I asked them erstwhile did Islam come? Its commencement was successful the 5th oregon sixth century, and Muslims came to India aft that. Some others had rights implicit each the Waqf properties astatine immoderate point. Our Sanatan Dharma considers Rig Veda to beryllium the oldest. That it came into being 5,000 years ago, portion Islam came 1,500 years ago. Rig Veda says that immoderate temple oregon spot of worship volition enactment the aforesaid forever. Then erstwhile they accidental ‘Waqf by user’ arsenic per Sharia law, that immoderate spot is Waqf forever…. if this state is tally by Sharia law, determination volition besides beryllium treatment connected imposing the Rig Veda.

During the archetypal gathering of the committee, immoderate BJP allies had raised concerns regarding the Bill. How did they travel connected board?

It happened during the discussions. Like determination were issues regarding the Collector being the arbiter successful lawsuit of disputes. We person addressed this interest that an serviceman supra the fertile of Collector volition determine specified disputes… I can’t get into the details, but each concerns person been addressed.

The biggest loser aft this full contented volition beryllium the Shiv Sena of Uddhav Thackeray. They worked against the country’s interests connected this Bill portion they person done the authorities of Hindutva successful the past. In the BMC elections, the Congress won’t contention with it, the aforesaid for the NCP (SP), and they volition contention alone. The enactment won’t person the spot of Muslims, Hindus, Marathis, non-Marathis. Its beingness volition beryllium implicit aft this issue.