Mumbai: Criticised by his Muslim voters for remaining absent during the discussion of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 in Parliament on Thursday, Shiv Sena (UBT) Member of Parliament from Mumbai South Arvind Sawant said he would oppose the law, but added that he would follow the principle of ‘appeasement of none’. He said he was absent because he was accompanying Uddhav Thackeray, his party’s leader who was visiting Delhi.
On August 8, the bill which proposes changes in the existing 1995 law, was introduced in the Lok Sabha and later referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) after objections from the opposition. Sawant, a member of the JPC, said, “We will play a judicial role in the committee. There will be no appeasement of any group. We are not running away.”
Replying to charges from Muslims that nine MPs from Shiv Sena (UBT) were absent when the bill was presented before the house, Sawant said that his party members were accompanying Thackeray who was in Delhi. “We were not absent deliberately,” said Sawant who spoke over the phone to some Muslim members in his parliamentary constituency on Friday morning to explain his absence in the house.
The MP said that many Muslims themselves wanted some changes in the current law as it is often abused. “There are certain problems with the Waqf Board. There are complaints that properties are mismanaged and sold. The government wants to improve it. We will see if that’s possible,” said Sawant. “We will not appease anyone. What about Hindu temples? They are governed by the government.”
Sawant said he opposed provisions for the appointment of non-Muslims to the Wakf Board. “We will discuss the bill in detail in the JPC.”
The absence of Shiv Sena (UBT) during the bill’s tabling dismayed Muslim residents of his constituency. Sawant won the seat on the back of overwhelming support from Muslim voters.
On Thursday, Waris Pathan, AIMIM spokesperson and former Member of the Legislative Assembly from Byculla which is part of Sawant’s constituency, posted a comment on X, saying, ‘I have received information that the nine Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs were not present in the House when the Waqf (Amendment) Bill was presented in the Lok Sabha. The secular people and the Muslims gave a lot of votes to them in the Lok Sabha elections, but why didn’t you raise your voice? You will receive a befitting reply in Maharashtra Assembly polls ‘
Lawyer and director of Urdu Markaz, Zubair Azmi, spoke to Sawant and asked him to make a statement to placate the concerns of his voters. “We told him that we voted for you. The Muslim community is apprehensive. The perception is that you walked out,” said Azmi. “Sawant said that the bill was only introduced without discussions and that he will oppose it in the JPC.
The central government said that amendments are required in the law because of the overarching powers claimed by Waqf Boards. Other claims include islands in the Bet Dwarka area of Gujarat and an entire village with mostly Hindu residents. On the other hand, there are allegations that former Waqf property has passed into private hands, including a multi-story luxury home in South Mumbai.
The amended bill provides for a recomposition of the Central Waqf Council and the state Waqf boards to ensure the representation of Muslim women and non-Muslims in such bodies. The bill also proposes the establishment of a separate board for Shia sub-sects like Bohras and Agakhanis. The bill omits section 40 which relates to the powers of the Waqf board to decide if a property is Waqf.
Azmi said that Waqf endowments are religious and should be available for the benefit of the community. “The new bill will bring retired judges and members of other communities into the board. The amendments will destroy the Waqf spirit
