SRINAGAR( WNAM MONITORING): The former chief minister of Indian-administered Kashmir on Friday urged Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s allies to use their influence in parliament to oppose the amended law on Muslim endowments, or Waqf.
Mehbooba Mufti, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chief and former chief minister, wrote letters to Nitish Kumar, the chief minister of eastern Bihar state, and Nara Chandrababu Naidu, the chief minister of southern Andhra Pradesh.
Kumar and Naidu support Modi’s Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance, which has a parliamentary majority.
Modi’s party lost the majority in parliament last year, so Kumar and Naidu’s support is critical to passing any proposed law or amending it.
According to Mufti, the Waqf amendment bill, which seeks greater government control over Waqf properties, is “unconstitutional, unconscionable, and authoritarian.”
Waqf is the endowment of land or property by a Muslim for religious, educational, or charitable purposes.
She accused the Indian government of disregarding opposition concerns, calling the parliamentary consultation process a “farce” with no genuine efforts to engage with the affected community.
“The bill comes at a time when, for the past decade, Muslims have been systematically disenfranchised, disempowered, and marginalized politically, socially, and economically,” Mufti said.
The bill is opposed by the nearly 200-million-strong Indian Muslim community, as well as Kashmiri religious groups, and was referred to the committee following opposition parties’ objections in parliament.
The parliamentary committee is expected to present its report to the new parliament session, which began on Friday in New Delhi.
According to the government-run Waqf Assets Management System of India, the country currently has 356,047 registered Waqf estates, 872,321 immovable properties, and 16,713 movable properties.
“Each proposed amendment not only contradicts the interests of the Muslim community… This deeply divisive bill is a clear manifestation of the majoritarianism that has fueled bigotry and the marginalization of Muslims since 2014,” said Mufti, whose party partnered with Modi’s BJP to rule Jammu and Kashmir between 2014 and early 2018.
