Maulana Fazlurrahim Mujaddidi Leads Delegation to Meet NCP founder and Rajya Sabha member, Mr. Sharad Pawar
Mumbai, 8th September 2024 – This morning at 9 AM, NCP founder and Rajya Sabha member, Mr. Sharad Pawar, met with a delegation from the All India Muslim Personal Law Board at his residence, Silver Oak. The delegation, led by the Board’s General Secretary, Maulana Fazlurrahim Mujaddidi, presented a memorandum to Mr. Pawar, calling the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024 unconstitutional and demanding its withdrawal.
During the meeting, the Board’s General Secretary and other members verbally explained that a false narrative has been spreading for some time, claiming that if the Waqf Board claims ownership of land or property, the government is forced to hand it over to them. In reality, they explained, thousands of acres of Waqf land are illegally occupied, and efforts are being made to reclaim them. However, if this Bill is passed, these occupied lands will be permanently taken out of Waqf’s control.
The delegation also expressed concerns that, under the current Waqf legal framework, cases related to Waqf properties can be escalated from Waqf Tribunals to High Courts and even the Supreme Court. However, the proposed amendments would transfer these powers to district collectors, who are unlikely to go against the government’s wishes. They further objected to the inclusion of non-Muslim members on Waqf Boards and the removal of the condition that the CEO must be Muslim, pointing out additional flaws in the Bill. The members voiced their belief that this law is designed to facilitate the capture of Waqf properties, making it completely unacceptable to the Muslim community. Instead of seeking amendments, they demanded the complete rejection of the Bill. The delegation urged Mr. Pawar and his party to put pressure on the government to withdraw the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024. They warned that, if not, Muslims would continue to fight against the Bill until the very end, exercising their constitutional rights.
After listening to the concerns of the Muslim representatives, the veteran leader assured them that no one will be allowed to seize religious properties. He promised that the Bill would be strongly opposed, ensuring it will not be passed under any circumstances. Mr. Pawar added that his party’s MP, Shirish Mahatre (also known as Balya Mama), a member of the Joint Parliamentary Committee, has been instructed to strongly represent the sentiments of Muslims in the committee. He emphasized that the NCP fully supports the Muslim community in this matter.
Maulana Fazlurrahim Mujaddidi expressed gratitude for Sharad Pawar’s clear and firm assurances, wishing him good health and well-being.
Other members of the Muslim Personal Law Board delegation included Maulana Mahmood Ahmed Khan Daryabadi, Abu Asim Azmi, Dr. Zaheer Qazi, Mufti Saeedurrahman, Salim Motorwala, Shia scholar Maulana Rooh Zafar, Shakir Shaikh, Maulana Anees Ahmed Ashrafi, Maulana Burhanuddin Qasmi, Dr. Azeemuddin, Hafiz Iqbal Choonawala, Naeem Shaikh, and Sohail Subeidar.