Dr Bilawal Kamran
The Modi government has introduced a new bill that many critics believe targets India’s Muslim community, this time focusing on the vast and invaluable real estate traditionally managed by Muslim waqf boards. Under this new legislation, a significant shift in power is taking place. The government has taken a controversial step by granting state officials the authority to make critical decisions in disputes over waqf properties. The bill, which renames the 1995 Waqf Act as the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development Act, claims to improve the administration and management of waqf properties. However, opposition groups argue that this move is nothing more than a thinly veiled land grab.
The waqf properties, which include land and real estate donated for charitable purposes by Muslims over centuries, have long been under the control of community-based waqf boards. These properties have significant historical and cultural value, often used for mosques, madrasas, orphanages, and community services. Now, with the introduction of this bill, the government has inserted itself into the heart of this traditional system. The newly proposed law would allow state-appointed officials to make final decisions regarding the fate of these properties in the case of disputes. This, critics argue, could lead to the government having an outsized influence over the management of waqf assets, possibly giving it the power to seize valuable land for commercial purposes.
This move is just the latest in a series of actions by the Modi government that many see as part of a broader strategy to marginalize India’s Muslim minority, which is the largest minority group in the country. Although other communities such as Sikhs, Christians, and Dalits also face discrimination, the Muslim community seems to be increasingly singled out by the ruling establishment. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, much of the opposition to Muslims has taken a more institutionalized and visible form, moving beyond the actions of state-sponsored mobs to the direct involvement of the state in discriminatory practices.
One stark example of this is the recent bulldozing of Muslim homes and shops by state governments, despite an Indian Supreme Court ruling prohibiting such actions. The bulldozer campaigns, often carried out in Muslim-majority areas, have been widely criticized as a tactic to harass and intimidate the community. The government’s direct role in these actions signals a troubling escalation of state-sponsored discrimination, and many feel that the new waqf bill is yet another attempt to target Muslims under the guise of “reform.”
Pl subscribe to the YouTube channel of republicpolicy.com for quality podcasts:
The Modi government has attempted to justify the new bill by claiming that it will empower Muslim women. Specifically, the government has made it mandatory for Muslim women to be members of waqf boards. This assertion is portrayed as a progressive step toward increasing female participation in religious and community decision-making bodies. However, this claim has been met with skepticism by opposition leaders and critics, who point out that the requirement for Muslim women to be board members was already established in previous legislation.
The inclusion of Muslim women on waqf boards, while seemingly a positive move, is largely seen as a distraction from the bill’s more controversial provisions. Many believe that the government is using the issue of women’s rights as a smokescreen to cover up its underlying motives, particularly its interest in gaining control over valuable waqf properties. Critics argue that the true intent of the bill is less about gender equality and more about facilitating state control over land that could be used for commercial or political gain.
Behind the government’s insistence on “reforming” waqf property management, there are deeper questions about the interests of powerful business figures close to the Modi regime. The bill raises suspicions that the government is trying to leverage its control over waqf properties for the benefit of select business tycoons. One particularly glaring example is the construction of a massive building in Mumbai, owned by a prominent businessman with close ties to the ruling party. This skyscraper was built on waqf land that had originally been donated for the education of poor Muslim children, many of whom now face increasing marginalization and poverty.
The development of such high-profile commercial projects on waqf land raises serious concerns about the motives behind the new bill. Critics argue that the Modi government, through its “reform” of waqf property management, is effectively opening the door to large-scale land grabs, where valuable real estate historically dedicated to the welfare of the Muslim community is repurposed for commercial gain. This not only threatens the integrity of waqf properties but also undermines the principles of charitable donations and community welfare that they were meant to serve.
The passage of this bill is not an isolated event but part of a broader pattern of actions taken by the Modi government that many perceive as an attack on the rights and interests of India’s Muslim minority. While the government frames the bill as a necessary step to improve efficiency and transparency in the management of waqf properties, its critics see it as part of a deliberate strategy to erode the social, economic, and cultural rights of Muslims in India.
For decades, waqf properties have been a crucial source of support for the Muslim community in India. These properties have been used to fund schools, hospitals, and other essential services, contributing to the social and educational upliftment of a community that has long faced discrimination and marginalization. By placing control of these properties in the hands of state officials, many fear that the government is not only weakening the community’s ability to manage its own assets but also setting the stage for large-scale dispossession.
The new bill is also likely to exacerbate tensions between the government and India’s Muslim population, which already feels under siege. By targeting waqf properties, the government risks further alienating Muslims, who may see this as another attempt to undermine their rights and resources. The bill also raises significant questions about the future of minority rights in India, particularly as the country grapples with growing religious intolerance and discrimination.
The Modi government’s introduction of the new Waqf Bill represents a dangerous precedent in the treatment of India’s Muslim community. Far from being a progressive step toward better governance, this bill threatens to further erode the rights of Muslims and open the door for land grabs of valuable waqf properties. While the government claims that the bill will enhance the efficiency of waqf management, the reality is that it is likely to undermine the community’s control over its own resources and pave the way for commercial interests to benefit from land that was once dedicated to the public good.
At its core, the new waqf bill is a reflection of the broader political agenda pursued by the Modi government, which has increasingly targeted India’s Muslim population through policies that seem designed to marginalize and disempower them. Whether it is through religiously motivated violence, discriminatory laws, or the seizure of valuable assets, the current government’s actions are having a profound and lasting impact on the social fabric of India.
If the government truly wishes to reform the waqf system, it must do so in a way that respects the rights and autonomy of the Muslim community. Any attempt to undermine these rights, whether through land grabs or other means, will only serve to deepen divisions within Indian society and threaten the nation’s democratic principles.
