Archaeological body informs Joint Parliamentary Committee of the necessity of Waqf Board Amendment Bill.

The Waqf Act 1995 grants the Waqf Board the authority to designate any property or building as Waqf property for charitable purposes. This has led to conflicts with 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. This has resulted in disputes and restrictions on the Archaeological Survey of India’s (ASI) ability to perform conservation and maintenance work on these monuments.

During a meeting, senior officials from ASI made a presentation before the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC). The meeting also included input from stakeholders such as the Zakat Foundation of India and the Telangana Waqf Board, who shared their views, suggestions, and evidence on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024. After the meeting, Naresh Mhaske, a leader of the Shiv Sena (Shinde group) and a panellist of the JPC, expressed concerns about the welfare of the poor and stated that the Waqf Board Amendment Bill is being deliberated by the committee for approval in Parliament.

He also mentioned that there have been heated debates and opposition to the bill from various parties. In a separate meeting, ministries including the Ministry of Urban Development, Railways, and Road and Transport, as well as the Secretary of the Housing Development Department, presented their views on the issues related to the Waqf Amendment Bill. There have been contentions and debates over the amendment bill, with ASI pointing out that unilateral decisions made by Waqf representatives or committee members have conflicted with policies, leading to management issues and restrictions on ASI employees’ access to certain parts of monuments.

Opposition parties have been vocal in their disagreements and debates against the amendment bill, while organizations like the Zakat Foundation and the Telangana Waqf Board have also expressed their reservations against the amendments. Overall, the deliberations and discussions in the JPC have highlighted the conflicting claims and concerns surrounding the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024, with various stakeholders and authorities expressing divergent views and arguments.