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Ajmer Sharif Dargah Gaddi Nashin Salman Chishty has lauded the Waqf Amendment Bill and said that it seeks to create a more transparent system to better serve the Muslim community.
Chishty Foundation chairman Haji Syed Salman Chishty (Photo: Instagram/ sufimusafir)
Ajmer Sharif Dargah Gaddi Nashin and Chishty Foundation chairman Haji Syed Salman Chishty has lauded the Waqf Amendment Bill, due to be tabled in the Parliament, as a “crucial reform” while also flagging the “lack of transparency” in the current Waqf Baord.
Chishty said that the Bill seeks to address some of the “long-standing issues that are plaguing the Waqf”, prompting Union Minister Kiren Rijiju’s response on X.
“By embracing reform and demanding accountability, we can ensure that the Waqf serves its intended purpose of benefiting the Muslim community and contributing to the broader society. Read this insightful article by Haji Syed Salman Chishty,” Rijiju posted on X.
What Did Ajmer Sharif Dargah Gaddi Nashin Say About Waqf And Bill?
In an opinion piece in The Hindu, Chishty laid down the benefits of the Waqf Amendment Bill while also shedding light on the “inefficiencies” of the Waqf Board – one of the “most significant, yet underutilised, institutions”.
Stating that Waqf has the potential to transform the socio-economic conditions of the Muslim community through the creation and maintenance of schools, hospitals, libraries, and other charitable institutions, he noted that the Board has been “hampered” by “mismanagement and lack of transparency”.
He further highlighted that though Waqf was aimed at strengthening Muslims and uplifting them socio-economically, the community “continues to struggle with issues of education, healthcare, and socio-economic upliftment”.
“The fact that such a vast resource base is not being leveraged effectively for the betterment of the community has been a cause for grave concern for many decades,” he wrote.
He said that the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, aims to address the issues that plague the Waqf and such reforms are crucial as they “acknowledge the widespread consensus within the Muslim community regarding the misuse of Waqf properties by mutawallis (custodians), some members with zero credibility, and the inefficiencies that have prevented Waqf boards from maximising the value of these assets”.
‘Current State Of Waqf A Reflection Of Challenges Faced By Muslims’: Ajmer Dargah Gaddi Nashin
Chishty underlined that the current state of the Waqf Board is a “reflection of the broader challenges faced by Muslims” in the country.
“The lack of accountability and transparency in the management of Waqf properties has allowed for the perpetuation of inefficiencies and corruption,” he wrote.
The Ajmer Dargah Gaddi Nashin cited the Sachar Committee Report 2006 to back his argument, stating that the report estimated the generation of an annual income of Rs 12,000 crore from Waqf properties.
“However, surveys by the Ministry of Minority Affairs reveal that the actual number of Waqf properties exceeds 8.72 lakh. Today, factoring in inflation and revised estimates, the potential income could be as high as Rs 20,000 crore annually. Yet, the actual revenue generated remains a paltry Rs 200 crore,” he wrote.
Waqf properties could fund the establishment of world-class institutions if they are “managed efficiently”.
“This is where we, as Indian Muslims, must broaden our understanding of “welfare”. Welfare does not mean free, run-down institutions that struggle to sustain themselves,” he wrote.
He said that the Waqf Amendment Bill must offer a “visionary commitment towards the righteous space and scope of Waqf development leading to the overall upgradation of the Muslim community”.
“By overhauling the governance and administration of Waqf boards and the Central Waqf Council, the Bill seeks to create a more accountable and transparent system that can better serve the community,” Chishty wrote.
