With the deadline approaching for public feedback on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, both Hindu and Muslim organizations have ramped up their efforts to encourage citizens to send suggestions to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) tasked with reviewing the Bill.
Groups such as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) have launched extensive campaigns, utilizing social media, Google forms, and messaging platforms to gather feedback from the public.
Awareness Drives Gain Momentum
Both communities have organized small gatherings and awareness drives to highlight the significance of the Bill. Muslim groups have taken advantage of Friday prayers, urging attendees to participate, while Hindu groups are spreading the message through Ganesh puja pandals, temple gatherings, and local resident welfare associations.
Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahali, a prominent member of the AIMPLB, told The Hindu that they’ve created a QR code that directs users to a pre-drafted message objecting to the Bill. “We urged people to send their suggestions during Friday prayers on September 6, and within two hours, six lakh people responded,” said Mahali. As of September 11, 2024, over 82 lakh emails had been sent, with the AIMPLB aiming for more than one crore submissions by the final deadline.
The pre-drafted message calls for the complete rejection of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, asserting that its provisions threaten the sanctity of Waqf properties and reduce the authority of their caretakers, or mutawallis. The message argues that the Bill undermines religious freedom and calls for stronger measures to address corruption instead of altering the status of Waqf properties.
Opposing Views and Social Media Influence
Religious leader Zakir Naik, from abroad, also encouraged Indian citizens to oppose the Bill, sharing a pre-drafted letter through social media platform X (formerly Twitter). His message, paired with a QR code, urged users to send objections to the JPC.
In response, Minister of Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju took to X to counter Naik’s message, cautioning against misleading narratives. “India is a democracy, and people have the right to express their opinions. However, false propaganda will only create confusion,” Rijiju wrote.
Meanwhile, Hindu groups have circulated a pre-drafted letter advocating for the Bill, drawing attention to incidents like the one in Tiruchendurai, Tamil Nadu, where a 1,500-year-old Hindu temple was reportedly claimed as Waqf property. The letter criticizes past governments, specifically former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s administration, for granting what it calls “arbitrary powers” to the Waqf Boards.
VHP spokesperson Vinod Bansal confirmed that the organization is engaging with communities both online and through local gatherings to ensure Hindu voices are heard.
Key Provisions of the Waqf Amendment Bill
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, tabled in Parliament on July 28, 2024, proposes significant changes, including the inclusion of non-Muslims and Muslim women in Waqf Boards. It also strips Waqf Boards of the power to unilaterally declare properties as Waqf.
As public debates continue, both sides are rallying support to influence the final outcome before the September 13 deadline for submissions.
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