Ajmer Sharif khadims body divided over Waqf Bill after some members hail it as ‘progressive’
The controversy intensified when Union minister Kiren Rijiju shared the article, describing it as “insightful”.
3 min read
Devotees offer prayers at Ajmer Sharif Dargah.The contentious Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which will be taken up by the Lok Sabha for discussion and passage on Wednesday, has created a division in the Ajmer Dargah Khadims Committee.
Ajmer Sharif Anjuman, the principal body of khadims (caretakers) in the Dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishty, has issued a condemnation against some of its members who expressed support to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill and accused them of joining hands with the BJP and other right-wing organisations which are “involved in actions detrimental to Muslims.”
The rebuke follows an article by Salman Chishti , one of the Khadims, hailing the Bill as “progressive” that can bring some change in the society and alleging mismanagement by the Waqf Committee.
The controversy intensified when Union minister Kiren Rijiju shared the article, describing it as “insightful”.
Syed Nasruddin Chishty, the successor of the spiritual head of Ajmer dargah, has also supported the Waqf (Amendment) Bill.
Criticising Salman Chishty and Syed Nasiruddin Chishty, secretary of Anjuman Committee of Ajmer Dargah Sarwar Chishty said, “We have passed a resolution in the committee, which is the official representative body of the Dargah khadims consisting of 5,000 members, condemning the Bill. The claims made by Salman Chishty for his petty gains that he is the ‘chief of Dargah’ are baseless and he is just a khadim like others.”
“He is presenting himself as ‘dargah chief’ in media interactions. He is not the chief of the dargah, but a khadim. I have no problem with him supporting the Bill in his individual capacity but he cannot take a line against the resolution we passed, while presenting himself as the dargah chief,” Sarwar Chishti said.
Responding to the allegations made by Sarwar Chishty, Salman said: “I have supported the Bill because of the widespread mismanagement in the current functioning of the Waqf committee. This has been going on for the last six decades and it needs to be changed. There is no hidden agenda (behind the support to the Bill)”.
Salman Chishty, who has prepared a large cauldron in honour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the latter’s birthday, is perceived to have close ties with the BJP.
Sarwar Chishty also criticised Syed Naserudin, son of Dargah Dewan Syed Zainual Abedin Ali Khan, for supporting the Bill and presenting himself as the dargah chief. He stated, “Dargah Dewan is a paid servant of the Dargah Committee, a body under the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs. He or his son has no capacity to be called as the head of the Dargah.”
Sarwar Chishti also accused both Salman and Naserudin of collaborating with the BJP and other right-wing organisations. “Both Salman and Naserudin are hand in glove with the BJP and other right-wing bodies which are involved in anti-Muslim acts. From supporting CAA-NRC, triple talaq and persecution of Muslims, they are part of every act which has put Muslims in danger,” Sarwar Chishti said.
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