New Delhi, April 2: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday rejected claims that the Waqf Bill would interfere with the religious affairs of Muslims and their donated properties. He stated that such rumors were being spread as part of vote-bank politics.
During a debate on the Waqf Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha, Shah clarified that the inclusion of non-Muslims on Waqf councils and boards was solely for the purpose of ensuring that properties are administered according to their intended aims.
Shah emphasized that Waqf is a charitable institution where individuals donate their property for religious, social, or public welfare purposes without the right to reclaim it. He also highlighted that "donation" carries special significance, stressing that only a person’s own property can be donated, and government property cannot be included in such donations.
Speaking to the House, Shah accused certain groups of spreading fear and confusion to create a vote bank by intimidating minority communities. He strongly denied claims that the NDA government was planning to interfere in the religious rights of Muslims or make changes that would violate the principle of equality.
“There was no provision earlier to involve non-Muslims in the management of religious institutions, and the NDA government has no intention of doing so,” he said. “To those who claim that the right to equality is under threat, or that there will be discrimination between religions, I assure you, this will not happen.”
Shah also pointed out that the Waqf law was made excessively favorable in 2013 for electoral purposes. He suggested that had the law been appropriately framed then, the need for the current bill might not have arisen.
