PIONEER NEWS SERVICE | Dehradun
Condemning the call given by the All India Muslim Personal Law Board and leaders such as Aasduddin Owaisi to the Muslims to switch off their lights for half an hour on Wednesday night in protest against the passage of Waqf Amendment Bill 2024, social activist Shalini Ali said that it is unfortunate that such a protest is being done at a time when entire country is mourning the murder of innocent tourists in Pahalgam of Jammu and Kashmir.
Interacting with the media persons here on Thursday, Ali who claims to be spreading awareness in the Muslims about the benefits and positive aspects of the Waqf amendment bill said that the amendments have been done in past in the Waqf act but the Waqf amendment bill -2024 is historic and done in right spirit. She said that the Waqf board is controlled by few individuals who were against giving representation to the women and marginalised sections of the society in the affairs of Waqf.
Ali said that Waqf is the property or time dedicated to Allah and if the government is planning to bring in transparency and a system of audit in the functioning of Waqf board then there is nothing wrong in it. She said that 8.5 lakh acres of land in the country is under the control of the Waqf board but it is seen that instead of using these properties for the welfare of the poor, land mafia has grabbed this land in many places. Waqf properties should be used to provide pensions to poor Muslim women and education to the poor children but they are being misused. She also supported the provision in the Act in which two non-Muslims members and two Muslim women will be in the Waqf board.
She said that the Waqf Amendment Act-2024 is progressive and in the interests of the Muslims but some vested elements are misleading the community.
