Modi Govt 3.0’s Waqf Bill: An Ideological Move Like 370

Modi Govt 3.0 Pushes Waqf Bill Amidst Ideological Debate

This was in place for its third term when the Modi government introduced the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, with the aim of improving the management and the management of waqf properties within India. To many, this legislative action appears to be ideological in character as the prior government actions like abrogating Article 370. Both have added up toward the projection of the new India in terms of its socio-political reality in accordance with one’s broader ideological aspirations. 

Key Provisions of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024

In the Waqf Amendment Bill, which would bring substantive changes to the present Waqf Act of 1995, the following proposal is included: 

1. Renaming and Structural Changes: The 1995 Act is to be renamed as the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Act under this bill. Establishment of the Central Waqf Council and State Waqf Boards has been proposed by the bill, which will have representation of Muslim women and non-Muslims. Specifically, it mandates the appointment of two women to each state board and the central council. 

2. Property Determination Authority: who owns property would change ever so drastically as the District Collector would then judge any property as being either waqf or government land, rather than the Waqf Tribunal taking that authority away. Allegations of misuse of power in dealing with property disputes will be addressed through the proposed change. 

3. Written Deed Obligation: The bill will require a written deed or waqfnama declaring any property waqf under the present oral tradition. 

Inclusion of Non-Muslim Presence: These bills bring provisions for the inclusion of non-Muslim members in the Waqf Boards, which have attracted considerable debate in the country. 

Justification by the Government

Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju justified the bill, saying this is to set matters right and empower the community at large. He said the bill did not violate constitutional rights but addressed issues of mismanagement and inefficiency in the Waqf system. Reports have highlighted some of these issues in their recommendations, which advise better management and auditing of Waqf lands. This is also being claimed to be in line with the bill. 

Opposition and Criticism

The bill is being condemned by opposition leaders and Muslim organizations who believe it would centralize everything and cut off traditional practices. It is believed that adding non-Muslim members to the Board might potentially create a conflict of interest and further marginalization to certain Muslim communities. Asaduddin Owaisi, the AIMIM MP, declares this bill as an anti-Muslim bill.   Ideological Parallels with Article 370 Abrogation The annulment of Article 370 in August 2019 was a momentous decision since it removed what was special about Jammu and Kashmir in terms of status and made that area much closer integrated with the rest of India.

The same is true for the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, which essentially attempts to standardize and centralize the management of waqf properties and to impose a uniform legal apparatus on religious endowments. These two events are testimonies to the government’s interpretation of governance with a predilection for uniformity and central authority to the detriment of any regional or community-specific autonomy.

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Critics assert that such developments constitute an ideological project seeking to alter the very foundation of India’s secularism. By changing the management of waqf properties and taking away the autonomy of Jammu and Kashmir, the government is seen as advancing the discourse of a singular national identity trumping the traditions of pluralism.

Conclusion

The introduction of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, by the Modi government is seen as a watershed moment not just for its legislation but for a larger ideological pursuit to renovate India’s socio-political architecture. The passage of this bill, not unlike the abrogation of Article 370, within the framework of re-centralizing the polity and reconstituting the management of religious and regional entities, reflects how resolutely this government is forging ahead. While discussions continue, the bill is emblematic of the ongoing contestation over India’s identity in terms of the interplay between uniform governance and cultural diversity.

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