Archaeological Body Informs Joint Parliamentary Committee of the Necessity of Waqf Board Amendment Bill

The Waqf Act 1995 gives the Waqf Board the authority to designate any property or building as Waqf property. During a meeting, senior officials from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) made a presentation before the Joint Parliamentary Committee.

Various stakeholders, including the Zakat Foundation of India and the Telangana Waqf Board, presented their views, suggestions, and oral evidence on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024. Following the meeting, Naresh Mhaske, a leader of Shiv Sena (Shinde group) and a panellist of the JPC, stated to ANI that the Waqf Board properties are not being utilized for the welfare of the poor.

He mentioned that the Waqf Board Amendment Bill is under deliberation and will soon be presented in Parliament for approval. Opposition parties have consistently opposed the Waqf Board Amendment Bill in JPC meetings, leading to heated debates and uproar.

Naresh Mhaske highlighted that the opposition seems to focus on speaking out against the amendment bill to secure their vote bank and showcase their strength. The Archaeological Survey of India presented detailed issues related to Waqf in protected sites and monuments, explaining the necessity of the Waqf Board Amendment Bill at the JPC-led meeting.

The meeting also saw intense exchanges between opposition parties and ruling party MPs regarding various proposed amendments to the bill. In the third JPC-led meeting, ministries such as the Ministry of Urban Development, Railways, and Road and Transport presented their views.

During this meeting, the Secretary of the Housing Development Department discussed the dispute between DDA and Waqf Board over properties in Delhi. Naresh Mhaske urged the opposition to consider the country’s interest and constitution, and to stop creating confusion among the people.

The Waqf Act 1995 allows the Waqf Board to declare any property or building as Waqf property for charitable purposes, which has resulted in conflicts with the rights granted under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act 1958. There have been instances where the Waqf authorities have made changes to the original structure of protected monuments, affecting their authenticity and integrity.

Dual authority over monuments of national importance often leads to administrative issues, as mentioned in the presentation by the ASI during the JPC meeting. *(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.

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