The Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf Bill will likely visit Jammu and Kashmir in the coming days. This was stated by the chairman of the committee and BJP MP, Jagdambika Pal, after the conclusion of a day-long meeting on Thursday.
“Our members also want to go to Jammu and Kashmir. For this, we will seek the speaker’s permission,” Pal told reporters. The visit to Jammu and Kashmir is significant as several committee members believe that a report on the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024 should incorporate the views of the concerned people in India’s largest Muslim majority region.
This development follows a letter from Muttaheda Majlis-e-Ulama (MMU), an alliance of 46 religious bodies and Islamic educational institutions headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, custodian of Kashmir’s largest and most revered Jama Masjid. The letter urged the committee to consider their views on the Bill.
“These amendments have sparked significant concerns and anxiety within the community due to their potential impact on religious, social, and charitable institutions,” the letter stated. “The critical nature of these amendments could undermine the autonomy and fundamental purpose of Waqf properties.”
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The MMU expressed concerns that the proposed changes could have far-reaching implications for the welfare and self-governance of the Muslim community in the region.
In Jammu and Kashmir, the Waqf Board manages numerous shrines, mosques, and schools. Previously known as the Muslim Auqaf Trust (MAT), it was overseen by the government. However, during Mufti Muhammad Sayeed’s tenure as chief minister in 2002, after forming a coalition with the Congress, MAT was restructured as Waqf.
Following the abrogation of Article 370, the lieutenant governor’s administration introduced further changes to its functioning. The Waqf Board is now led by Darakhshan Andrabi, a senior BJP leader. The administration also banned religious offerings by devotees.
