Karnataka Waqf Board opposes Centre's Waqf Amendment Bill

NEW DELHI: The Karnataka State Waqf Board opposed the Centre's Waqf Amendment Bill during an administrative committee meeting on Thursday.

During a meeting of the Waqf Board's administrative committee, led by Housing and Minorities Welfare Minister Zameer Ahmad Khan and State Waqf Board Chairman Anwar Basha, a resolution was passed opposing the amendment to the Waqf Act, the Minister's office said in a release, reported news agency PTI.

Following the meeting, the Minister and Chief Minister's Political Secretary Nasir Ahmad presented the resolution to chief minister Siddaramaiah, requesting him to write to the union government in opposition to the amendment.

The Waqf Board's administrative committee declared that it would not provide any information to the Joint Parliamentary Committee established to review the Bill.

They emphasised the autonomous nature of the Waqf Board and argued that the proposed amendment was detrimental to the community's interests, suggesting that "the intention behind the amendment might be different."

The meeting also urged the state government to pass a condemnation resolution during the upcoming session and forward it to the Centre. The release mentioned the presence of Waqf Board Chairman Anwar Basha and members Maulana Shafi Saadi, G Yaqub, Advocate Riaz, Advocate Asif Ali, and Maulana Azhar Abidi at the meeting.

The Waqf Amendment Bill, introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 8, was referred to a joint committee of Parliament following a heated debate. The central government maintained that the proposed law was not intended to interfere with the functioning of mosques, while the opposition accused it of targeting Muslims and attacking Constitution.

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