Waqf Amendment Bill Kya Hai?

Waqf Amendment Bill, 2024, ek aisa vidheyak (bill) hai jo Bharat ke Lok Sabha mein 8 August 2024 ko pesh kiya gaya tha. Yeh bill Waqf Act, 1995 ko amend (san-shodhan) karne ke liye laya gaya hai, jo waqf properties (Muslim dharmik ya khairati uddeshyon ke liye samarpit sampatti) ke prabandhan ko niyamit karta hai. Iska mukhya uddeshya waqf boards ke kaam-kaj mein sudhar laana, unki sampattiyon ke prabandhan ko aur prabhavi banana, aur transparency (parkishata) ko badhava dena hai.

Waqf Kya Hai?

Waqf ek Islamic parampara hai jismein koi vyakti apni sampatti ko Allah ke naam par dharmik, pavitra ya khairati kaamon ke liye samarpit karta hai. Yeh sampatti kabhi bhi bechi ya virasat mein di nahi ja sakti aur ise waqf board dwara prabandhit kiya jata hai. Bharat mein waqf boards ke paas 9.4 lakh acre se zyada zameen hai, jiski keemat lagbhag 1.2 lakh crore rupaye aanki jati hai, jo ise desh ka teesra sabse bada landowner banata hai (armed forces aur Indian Railways ke baad).

Waqf properties ke illegal use

Waqf properties ke illegal use ka mudda Bharat mein lamba samay se charcha ka vishay raha hai. Kai reports aur allegations ke mutabik, waqf boards ke prabandhan mein corruption, mismanagement, aur illegal occupation ke kaaran in sampattiyon ka durupyog hua hai. Niche kuch tarike diye gaye hain jinse waqf ko illegal tarike se use kiya ja raha tha:

1. Illegal Encroachment (Anadhikrit Kabza)

• Waqf properties, jo aksar zameen ke bade tukde hote hain, par kai baar local land mafia, builders, ya private vyaktiyon ne anadhikrit kabza kar liya. Ismein waqf board ke officials ki milibhagat bhi shamil rahi hai.
• Example: Kai shehri ilakon mein waqf ki zameen par shopping complexes, residential buildings, ya commercial establishments bina approval ke bana diye gaye.

2. Corruption in Waqf Boards

• Waqf board ke officials par ilzaam lage hain ki unhone rishwat lekar waqf properties ko private parties ko lease par diya ya bech diya, jabki waqf Act ke tahat inhe bechna ya transfer karna illegal hai.
• Kai cases mein, fake documents banakar yeh dikhaya gaya ki zameen waqf ki nahi hai, aur phir uska commercial use kiya gaya.

3. Fake Waqf Claims

• Kuch cases mein, logo ne apni private property ko waqf dikhane ke liye jali documents banaye, taki uspar sarkari ya legal control na ho sake. Yeh “waqf by user” ke concept ka durupyog tha, jise ab Waqf Amendment Bill mein hata diya gaya hai.
• Isse ulta bhi hua, jahan waqf boards ne galat tarike se sarkari ya private zameen par apna daava kiya.

4. Funds Ka Durupyog

• Waqf properties se hone wali income (jaise rent ya donation) ko dharmik ya khairati kaam ke liye use karna hota hai, lekin kai baar yeh paisa board officials ya local netaon ke personal use mein chala gaya.
• Audit ki kami ke kaaran is corruption ko track karna mushkil raha.

5. Illegal Sale of Waqf Properties

• Waqf Act, 1995 ke Section 51 aur 52 ke tahat waqf property ki sale ya permanent transfer allowed nahi hai, lekin kai jagah yeh hua. Misal ke taur par, Delhi, Karnataka, aur Uttar Pradesh jaise states mein aise cases samne aaye hain jahan zameen bechi gayi ya developers ko de di gayi.

6. Masjidon aur Qabristano Ka Commercial Use

• Kuch cases mein, waqf ke tahat masjid ya qabristan ke liye rakhi gayi zameen par illegal construction kar diya gaya. Yeh kaam aksar local authorities ki anumati ya waqf board ki milibhagat se hua.

Notable Examples

• Delhi Waqf Board Case: 2016 mein Delhi ke AAP sarkar aur waqf board ke beech ek bada vivaad hua, jahan allegations lage ki waqf ki zameen par anadhikrit kabza aur corruption ho raha tha.
• Karnataka Waqf Scam: 2012 ki Anwar Manippady Committee report ke mutabik, Karnataka mein 22,000 acre waqf zameen mein se bada hissa illegal tarike se kabza kiya gaya ya becha gaya tha, jismein politicians aur officials shamil the.
• Uttar Pradesh: UP Shia aur Sunni Waqf Boards par kai baar zameen ke galat prabandhan aur illegal lease ke aarop lage hain.

Waqf Amendment Bill Ka Connection

Inhi samasyao ko dhyan mein rakhte hue Waqf Amendment Bill, 2024 mein provisions jaise CAG audit, district collector ki bhoomika, aur strict registration process shamil kiye gaye hain. Sarkar ka kehna hai ki yeh steps corruption aur illegal use ko rokne mein madad karenge, lekin virodhi dal kehte hain ki yeh waqf boards ke autonomy ko khatm karne ki koshish hai.

Waqf Amendment Bill Ke Mukhya Provisions

1. Waqf Ki Definition Mein Change: Bill ke mutabik, waqf sirf wahi vyakti bana sakta hai jo kam se kam 5 saal se Islam ka palan kar raha ho aur sampatti ka malik ho. Pehle yeh itna strict nahi tha.
2. Non-Muslim Members Ka Inclusion: State Waqf Boards aur Central Waqf Council mein kam se kam do non-Muslim members rakhne ka pravasthan kiya gaya hai, jo pehle nahi tha.
3. District Collector Ki Bhoomika: Ab waqf property ki pehchaan ya ispar vivad hone par district collector faisla karega, jabki pehle yeh kaam Waqf Tribunal karta tha.
4. Waqf by User Ko Hataana: Pehle agar koi sampatti lamba samay tak waqf ke kaam mein use hoti thi, toh use waqf maan liya jata tha (waqf by user). Ab is provision ko hata diya gaya hai.
5. Audit Aur Transparency: Central government ab Comptroller and Auditor-General (CAG) ke dwara waqf ka audit karva sakti hai.
6. Mahilaon Ki Bhagidari: Waqf boards mein mahilaon ke liye representation ko mandatory kiya gaya hai.
7. Registration Process: Waqf properties ko ek central portal aur database mein register karna hoga.

Controversies (Vivaad)

• Muslim Samuday Ka Virodh: Kai Muslim organizations, jaise All India Muslim Personal Law Board, ka kehna hai ki yeh bill unke dharmik adhikaaron (Article 26 of the Constitution) par hamla hai aur waqf properties ko sarkari control mein laane ki koshish hai.
• Opposition Ka Virodh: Opposition parties ne isse federalism aur secularism ke khilaaf bataya hai, kehkar ki yeh Muslim samuday ke autonomy ko kam karta hai.
• Supporters Ka Argument: Sarkar aur iske samarthak kehte hain ki yeh bill waqf boards mein corruption ko rokne aur unke prabandhan mein sudhar ke liye zaroori hai, aur yeh Muslim samuday ke kuch hisson ki maang par aadharit hai.

Yeh mudda abhi bhi sensitive aur controversial hai, aur ispar legal aur political debate jari hai.

Current Status

Bill ko Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) ke paas bheja gaya tha, jismein 31 members (21 Lok Sabha se aur 10 Rajya Sabha se) shamil hain, aur iski adhyakshata BJP MP Jagdambika Pal kar rahe hain. JPC ne ispar kai baar charcha ki aur February 2025 mein apni report pesh ki. Ab yeh sansad ke agle session mein pass hone ke liye taiyar hai, jahan ispar final vote hoga.
Yeh bill agar pass ho jata hai, toh waqf properties ke prabandhan mein bada badlav aayega, lekin iske saath hi iska virodh bhi jari hai.