Waqf House panel ‘doesn’t seem serious’, trying ‘bulldoze through’, says Mirwaiz after meeting

Speaking to The Indian Express after the meeting, the Mirwaiz said, “It (JPC) doesn’t seem serious. As the only Muslim-majority state (a reference to the Union Territory of J&K), they should have come to us to take our point of view. But the fact is that we had to request them several times to listen to us and our apprehensions.”

During the meeting with the MMU delegation, the JPC was without its members from Opposition parties. Ten Opposition MPs were suspended for a day from the JPC on Friday by panel chairman Jagdambika Pal following ruckus over the scheduling of the clause-by-clause consideration of the Bill.

At the meeting, the Mirwaiz-led delegation raised concerns, including worries about the potential overreach of the government over Waqf properties, reduced representation of Muslims, increased risk of appropriation, and fears regarding violation of constitutional rights and Muslim Personal Law.

The delegation also said the amendments were being seen in J&K as “another attempt at undermining our religious freedom and autonomy of institutions”.

The Mirwaiz said that while the meeting was cordial and respectful, the JPC members were “ill-informed” and seemed to be rushing through.

“We told the committee that if there are some issues, we are ready to discuss them with the government and rectify any mistakes that are there. But it seems they (JPC) are trying to bulldoze through,” he said

The delegation demanded that the proposed amendments should be immediately rejected, that there should be engagement with stakeholders, safeguards for religious autonomy and protection of Waqf properties.