Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Barrister Umar Kamaal Farooqui urged the community members to file objections as an immediate action against the proposed Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which is a serious threat to Constitutional and religious rights.
Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, he argued that the Bill’s provision to include non-Muslims on Waqf boards contradicts Article 16(5) of the Indian Constitution.
He said that the increased government involvement, particularly through district collectors overseeing waqf disputes, could infringe upon the freedom of religious practice and management guaranteed under Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution.
The proposed bill introduces members of non-Muslim communities into the Central Waqf Council and various Waqf Boards. This move risks creating unnecessary divisions and disturbing communal harmony. The objections can be sent to the Joint Parliamentary Committee up to September 14, 2024.
He also announced that he would soon be heading to Delhi to meet with senior Congress Party leaders—Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Sharad Pawar, Akhilesh Yadav, Sitaram Yechury, and all other secular leaders dedicated to protecting the nation's ethos.