Form Pressure Groups to Protect Waqf Properties

Intizar Naeem, Assistant Secretary, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, while speaking on the State of Waqf and the Responsibilities of Muslims at the JIH headquarters on 30 April, said since Independence Muslims have faced a lot of problems like identity, security and issues pertaining to Waqf. He expressed concern about the degree of awareness within the community which is not enough and certainly not in accordance with the demands of the situation.
While opening up this debate, he said the Waqf Act which was formulated by the Government is aimed at preserving and protecting Waqf land but at many places, the Government is doing little to ensure safety to these lands. The Government has not only turned a blind eye but also encouraging the wrongdoers by ignoring encroachment on a routine basis. Many important mosques in the national capital are not only in bad shape but are being misused by the encroachers for business purposes. People and the Government are mute spectators.
According to him, all the mosques in Amritsar are being used to keep animals or are being misused in other ways. The Jamaat approached the authorities in the Golden Temple to look into the matter and return all those mosques occupied and misused by the local people. The authorities have not taken the desired note of the appeal and the situation remains the same there.
He said the Waqf Boards are equally responsible for the dereliction of duty because the Waqf properties get out of their control willingly or unwillingly. If the Government had acted judiciously and Waqf Boards had done their duties in a responsible manner, things would have been certainly different and Muslims in a better position than what they are in. The revenue generated out of the Waqf properties would be sufficient to address some basic problems of Muslims in a decisive and meaningful manner. Waqf properties worth crores were given up at a throwaway price to the rich and powerful.
Naeem also informed the audience that very recently a Jamaat delegation asked the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to release some funds for graveyards but the response in the form of a letter received was not satisfactory because the letter says that the issue has been referred to the concerned authorities. He asked the people to form pressure groups and keep an eye on the activities of the Waqf Board on a regular basis. He further asked the people to be a watchdog and remain vigilant in their areas against any encroachment of Waqf land across India.