Kashmiri community leader briefs Indian lawmakers on contentious Waqf Bill

SRINAGAR, Jammu and Kashmir

Community leader and preacher Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Friday conveyed to Indian lawmakers the Kashmiri religious community’s concerns over a proposed law seeking more government control over Waqf properties.

Waqf is endowment of land or property by a Muslim for religious, educational or charitable purposes.

Farooq attended the parliamentary committee in New Delhi alongside a delegation of Kashmiri religious leaders’ group, the Mutahida Majlis Ulema (MMU), which met Jagdambika Pal, chairman of the joint parliamentary committee on Waqf Amendment Bill.

He had been under house arrest for most part since 2019, when the Indian government scrapped the disputed Muslim-majority region’s autonomy.

The bill is opposed by nearly 200-million-strong Indian Muslim community, as well as by the Kashmiri religious groups and was referred to the committee after objections by opposition parties in the parliament.

Pal-led committee is supposed to present its report to the forthcoming session of the parliament.

Farooq pointed out government "overreach and control" as well as "reduced Muslim representation" in the proposed bill by the federal government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi of Bharatiya Janata Party.

He said the bill "increased risk" of property appropriation as well as violated Muslim Personal Law and constitutional rights.

According to the government-run Waqf Assets Management System of India, there are currently 356,047 registered Waqf estates, 872,321 immovable properties, and 16,713 movable properties in the country.

Ahead of the meeting, Farooq said the Waqf issue was a serious matter, especially for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, as it is a Muslim-majority state.

“Many people have concerns regarding this, and we have prepared a detailed memorandum addressing these concerns point by point. We will present this in today's meeting. We want the government to refrain from interfering in Waqf matters," he said.

India and Pakistan rule the Jammu and Kashmir region in parts, but claim it in full. The territories are recognized as Indian-administered Kashmir, and Pakistan administered Kashmir, or Azad Kashmir.