The Indian Parliament has passed a contentious bill that gives the government increased control over properties held by Muslim trusts, known as Waqfs, drawing fears of discrimination against the minority.
India Enacts Controversial Legislation Regulating Muslim Trusts
India Enacts Controversial Legislation Regulating Muslim Trusts
The new law allows greater government oversight, raising concerns over religious freedoms.
The Indian Parliament voted on a divisive piece of legislation this past Friday that strengthens governmental oversight of properties affiliated with Muslim trusts, triggering significant concerns regarding the potential infringement on the rights of the Muslim community. This law enables the appointment of non-Muslim individuals to administrative panels overseeing these trusts, referred to as Waqf boards, while empowering state officials to settle disputes related to those properties.
Waqfs have a legal basis rooted in Indian law for over a century and represent significant landholders, managing an estimated 800,000 properties that span nearly a million acres. A government-commissioned report from 2006 valued these assets—including mosques, religious schools, and burial sites—at approximately $14 billion.
The ruling party, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, defends the law as a necessary adjustment aimed at enhancing efficiency and transparency while mitigating abuse of these resources. Kiren Rijiju, the Minister for Parliamentary and Minority Affairs, addressed the introduction of the bill, asserting that it does not infringe upon the rights of Muslims, but rather serves to safeguard Waqf properties from exploitation.
In contrast to the speed with which past legislation was enacted during Modi's earlier term of office, the Waqf bill underwent extensive deliberative processes, including two days of fervent debate that extended past midnight prior to the final vote. While supporters laud the reform for its potential to ensure accountability, critics remain wary about the implications for an already vulnerable minority.
Waqfs have a legal basis rooted in Indian law for over a century and represent significant landholders, managing an estimated 800,000 properties that span nearly a million acres. A government-commissioned report from 2006 valued these assets—including mosques, religious schools, and burial sites—at approximately $14 billion.
The ruling party, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, defends the law as a necessary adjustment aimed at enhancing efficiency and transparency while mitigating abuse of these resources. Kiren Rijiju, the Minister for Parliamentary and Minority Affairs, addressed the introduction of the bill, asserting that it does not infringe upon the rights of Muslims, but rather serves to safeguard Waqf properties from exploitation.
In contrast to the speed with which past legislation was enacted during Modi's earlier term of office, the Waqf bill underwent extensive deliberative processes, including two days of fervent debate that extended past midnight prior to the final vote. While supporters laud the reform for its potential to ensure accountability, critics remain wary about the implications for an already vulnerable minority.
