Karnataka Waqf Board resolves not to accept Centre’s Waqf Amendment Bill

Bengaluru: The Karnataka State Waqf Board on Thursday expressed strong opposition to the Centre’s Waqf Amendment Bill.

During a meeting of the Waqf Board’s administrative committee, led by Housing and Minorities Welfare Minister Zameer Ahmad Khan and State Waqf Board Chairman Anwar Basha, a resolution was passed opposing the amendment to the Waqf Act, the Minister’s office said in a release.

Subsequently, the Minister and Chief Minister’s Political Secretary Nasir Ahmad submitted a copy of the resolution to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, urging him to write to the union government opposing the amendment.

The Waqf Board’s administrative committee stated that it will not provide any information to the Joint Parliamentary Committee formed to review the Bill, the release said.

They pointed out that the Waqf Board was an autonomous body and the proposed amendment was against the interests of the community. They also suggested that the “intention behind the amendment might be different.” The meeting also recommended that the state government pass a condemnation resolution in the upcoming session and send it to the Centre.

Waqf Board Chairman Anwar Basha, members Maulana Shafi Saadi, G. Yaqub, Advocate Riaz, Advocate Asif Ali, and Maulana Azhar Abidi were present at the meeting, the release added.

The Waqf Amendment Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 8 and referred to a joint committee of Parliament after a heated debate. The central government asserted that the proposed law did not intend to interfere with the functioning of mosques and the opposition calling it a targeting of Muslims and an attack on the Constitution.