Archaeological Body Advises Joint Parliamentary Committee on Necessity of Waqf Board Amendment Bill

The Waqf Act 1995 grants authority to the Waqf Board to designate any property or building as a Waqf property for charitable purposes. In a recent meeting, senior officials from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) presented to the Joint Parliamentary Committee. Various stakeholders, including the Zakat Foundation of India and the Telangana Waqf Board, expressed their perspectives, suggestions, and oral evidence on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024. Following the meeting, Naresh Mhaske, a leader from Shiv Sena (Shinde group) and a panelist of the JPC, stated that the Waqf Board properties are not being utilized for the welfare of the underprivileged.

He emphasized that the Waqf Board Amendment Bill is being deliberated by the committee and will shortly be presented to Parliament for approval. During the meeting, ASI highlighted concerns regarding properties previously conserved by the government of India which have been claimed by the Waqf without evidence. This has led to opposition parties continuously opposing the Waqf Board Amendment Bill in JPC meetings, resulting in heated debates and uproar. Naresh Mhaske also noted that there is a trend among opposition parties to compete in opposing the amendment bill and delivering speeches for political gains.

Additionally, the Zakat Foundation and Telangana Waqf Board opposed amending the Waqf Board bill while presenting their arguments. The ASI gave a detailed presentation at the JPC meeting, addressing issues related to Waqf in protected monuments and sites, and explaining the necessity of the Waqf Board Amendment Bill. The meeting witnessed contentious exchanges between opposition parties and ruling party MPs over various proposed amendments. In a subsequent JPC-led meeting, ministries including the Ministry of Urban Development, Railways, and Road and Transport presented their views.

The Secretary of the Housing Development Department highlighted a dispute between DDA and the Waqf Board over properties in Delhi. Naresh Mhaske urged the opposition to consider the national interest and constitution, and to refrain from creating confusion among the people, emphasizing the importance of ensuring that the poor from minority communities benefit from the bill. The Waqf Act 1995 has led to conflicts between the rights granted under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act 1958 as the Waqf Board has declared protected monuments as Waqf properties, restricting ASI from performing conservation work. This has led to changes in the authenticity and integrity of these monuments, creating dual authority issues.

In their presentation, ASI highlighted instances where unilateral decisions by Waqf authorities conflict with policies, and where ASI employees are restricted from entering certain areas of monuments. This dual authority sometimes leads to administrative challenges and management issues over monuments of national significance. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)