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

There couldn’t be a better Bill to provide poor Muslims their rights. Our efforts and discussions on the Bill were focused on settling disputes or why the state Waqf boards are not able to function… The Opposition couldn’t understand the Bill and looked at it through the lens of their party line. This was unfortunate because despite the country getting Independence 75 years ago, Muslims are socially, economically backward, and have been left behind in education too. They have to be brought to the mainstream because they can’t be considered as only vote banks. They have the same rights as members of all other communities.

The Opposition mishandled it (the committee) for vote bank politics. They tried to throw a bottle at the chairperson (TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee had smashed a glass bottle during a heated debate), used expletives, argued, showed no trust towards the chairperson (Jagdambika Pal). For the first time since the Constitution came into being, members were suspended from a parliamentary committee…

All this was upsetting. But I am happy with the way NDA parties worked in this committee. The day this Bill is passed, Muslims will join the mainstream.

Amendments proposed by NDA members were accepted by the committee, while those by the Opposition were not. Do you think the cleared amendments will address the issues raised by the Muslim community regarding the Bill?

The first amendment was by me, which was to address the concern over the ‘Waqf by user’ issue. People thought this law would be retrospective, and Waqf properties would be taken away. No law can be retrospective and all registered Waqf properties will remain so. No one can take them away.

Where is there a fight? Where there are disputes – civil ones, over government properties, enemy property. We have given a big relief through this… We have addressed the concerns that this Bill will steal Waqf properties.

The Opposition members are saying that if only amendments by NDA members were to be accepted, there was no point in forming the committee.

They (the Opposition members) didn’t discuss the amendments. They wanted to abolish the Bill and only wanted fights. They want to harass Muslims and do appeasement politics. Do Muslims not vote for the TDP, or do they not vote for me? We want to bring Muslims to the mainstream, and they want to do appeasement. If they are so concerned about Muslims, why didn’t Saharanpur MP Imran Masood come on Monday for the meeting? The same for NCP (SP) member Suresh Mhatre. AAP member Sanjay Singh who shouts outside for Muslim votes didn’t come…

Our genuine amendments were passed and we didn’t let their rubbish amendments be passed.

The Opposition has also said in a joint statement that 95% of the stakeholders who deposed before the committee opposed the Bill, and that despite this, the government wants to pass it.

Who are the stakeholders? Are only Muslims the stakeholders? I will tell you one small thing which I said to Deoband clerics and (Hurriyat leader) Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. Sharia says that Waqf will run as per Sharia law. I agreed. I asked them when did Islam come? Its birth was in the fifth or sixth century, and Muslims came to India after that. Some others had rights over all the Waqf properties at some point. Our Sanatan Dharma considers Rig Veda to be the oldest. That it came into being 5,000 years ago, while Islam came 1,500 years ago. Rig Veda says that any temple or place of worship will stay the same forever. Then when they say ‘Waqf by user’ as per Sharia law, that any property is Waqf forever…. if this country is run by Sharia law, there will also be discussion on imposing the Rig Veda.

During the first meeting of the committee, some BJP allies had raised concerns regarding the Bill. How did they come on board?

It happened during the discussions. Like there were issues regarding the Collector being the arbiter in case of disputes. We have addressed this concern that an officer above the rank of Collector will decide such disputes… I can’t get into the details, but all concerns have been addressed.

The biggest loser after this whole issue will be the Shiv Sena of Uddhav Thackeray. They worked against the country’s interests on this Bill while they have done the politics of Hindutva in the past. In the BMC elections, the Congress won’t contest with it, the same for the NCP (SP), and they will contest alone. The party won’t have the trust of Muslims, Hindus, Marathis, non-Marathis. Its existence will be over after this issue.