Ajmer, April 2 (IANS) Syed Naseruddin Chishty, Chairman of the All India Sufi Sajjadanashin Council, on Wednesday dismissed claims by some Muslim organisations that religious properties would be taken away once the Waqf (Amendment) Bill gets cleared from the House.
He urged people not to believe such statements, stating that the bill only seeks to introduce stricter regulations to prevent the misuse of Waqf properties.
He claimed that those benefiting illegally from Waqf assets are the ones spreading these false claims, as the new amendments would put an end to their interests.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill is set to be tabled in Parliament on Wednesday.
Reacting to this, Syed Naseruddin Chishty told IANS, “This has been awaited for a long time, and now the moment has arrived. Around 12 o’clock, the Waqf (Amendment) Bill will be presented in Parliament. I hope there will be a meaningful discussion, leading to the passage of a well-structured bill that will address the shortcomings of the existing Waqf Act.”
Commenting on organisations opposing the bill, he said, “Everyone has the right to protest in a democracy. However, since the common citizens of the country might not have been able to fully understand the bill, they have accepted whatever their leaders are telling them.”
“I believe that one might oppose or support certain sections of a bill, but to claim that mosques or other religious properties will be taken away is completely false. I do not support such misinformation and only trust what the government has stated. Others should also rely on official statements rather than baseless rumours,” he further said.
He further emphasised that the bill’s stricter provisions are intended for the welfare of poor Muslims.
“If the laws are strict, some people get offended. This bill will implement stringent measures in favour of underprivileged Muslims. The primary purpose of Waqf has always been to ensure that its properties are used for religious and charitable purposes. Unfortunately, that has not been happening till now. Hopefully, with this new law, people will truly benefit,” he said.
–IANS
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