Hakeem dismayed over JPC decision on Waqf amendment bill

Srinagar: President Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Democratic Front (J&K PDF) Hakeem Muhammad Yaseen has expressed dismay over the passing of Waqaf Bill by the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC )despite opposition’s stiff objections.He said the Waqf amendment Bill undermines the rights of Muslims and threatens India’s federal structure.
In a statement issued here on Thurssday Hakeem while opposing JPC decision to pass Waqf amendment Bill has said that it was a direct infringement on the rights of muslim minorities in India. He said in the garb of overhauling the management of Waqf Act of 1995, which governs the management of Waqf properties in India , it inadvertently aims at to usurp the waqf properties of muslims. He said JPC decision to pass Waqf Amendment Bill has been widely opposed by the intelligentsia through out the country including the Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant who while echoing his concerns said that the amendments were put to a vote directly without any meaningful discussion. “The amendments we proposed were never explained, just voted on. We will submit a dissent note when the draft report is released on January 29,” Sawant has said. Likewise , Congress MP Imran Masood has accused the ruling party of attempting to seize Waqf properties, calling the bill a complete “ruin” for the Waqf system. Congress MP Naseer Hussain has claimed that most stakeholders who participated in the JPC deliberations opposed the bill, while Samajwadi Party MP Mohibullah has described the entire procedure as a “mockery” of democracy. “The way the procedure was concluded seems like a joke. This bill will not benefit Waqf,” Hussain added.
PDF President has alleged that most of the amendments to Waqf Bill proposed by the opposition members were defeated without any discussion in the JPC meetings. He has urged the central government to respect religious sentiments of the muslim minority before proceeding ahead on the Waqf Amendment Bill. He said the proposed Bill has outraged entire muslim population through out the country.