Uttarakhand Waqf Board chairman Shadab Shams on Monday said the passage of the amended Waqf legislation in Parliament reflected Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s sensitivity to the plight of poor Muslims.
Welcoming the legislation’s passage, Shams said, “It will rid Waqf properties from decades of encroachment by rich and influential Muslims. These properties will now come to the aid of poor Muslims.”
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi brought the amendments as he could understand the pain of poor Muslims,” he said.
Shams, who returned to Uttarakhand from Delhi after a 10-day visit during which the legislation was passed in Parliament, said he was accorded a very warm welcome by Muslims in Manglaur and Narsan.
“Pasmanda Muslims garlanded me and expressed their happiness at the passage of the Bill. They feel it will put an end to the injustice they were subjected to during decades of Congress rule,” he said.
Shams also offered a ‘chadar’ at Piran Kaliyar Sharief on behalf of Modi to thank him for bringing the long-awaited legislation in Parliament.
“Encroachers of Waqf properties are spreading fear among Muslims over the legislation as they are afraid they will now lose their grabbed properties,” the Uttarakhand Waqf Board chairman said.
The Centre on April 8 notified the Waqf (Amendment) Act, which received President Droupadi Murmu’s assent on April 5 after its passage in Parliament following heated debates in both Houses.
The discussions witnessed objections from opposition parties that described the legislation as “anti-Muslim and unconstitutional” while the government said the “historic reform” would benefit the minority community.