Srinagar: A collective of Parliamentarians, Muslim religious leaders and 'secular' political parties is in the making to resist the proposed Waqf (Amendment) Bill, the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), and the 'disempowerment' of Muslims in India.
Led by Kashmir's chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the plan was discussed with several key leaders, Ulemas (clerics), politicians and civil society representatives during a series of closed-door meetings in New Delhi.
The meetings included a crucial one between Mirwaiz and Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, the National Conference (NC) Member of Parliament from Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency, signalling a rare cross solidarity.
The 90-minute meeting between Mirwaz and Mehdi was part of the ongoing efforts to bring key politicians, Ulemas and representatives on a common platform to confront challenges faced by the community.
Mirwaiz, who has scaled down separatist activities four years after his release from house arrest in 2023, has embarked on an outreach with Muslim leaders, civil society and politicians in the national capital over the last few weeks.
The influential 53-year-old held a series of closed-door meetings with key leaders including top brass from Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and others to chalk out a joint grouping.
Sources privy to the meetings confirmed that discussions revolved around forging an alliance with a common agenda to address the broader issues of the Muslim community. They said that Mirwaiz is expected to visit Uttar Pradesh in the coming days where, apart from meeting key leaders, he will also visit Darul Uloom Deoband, the largest Islamic seminary in the country.
“A few common issues have been chalked out where the understanding can be built,” a source told ETV Bharat. “A grouping of politicians, Ulemas and political parties who in principle believe in collective existence of all communities are being taken on board for building an understanding on issues faced by Muslims, particularly their disempowerment.”
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 introduced in the Parliament in August 2024 seeks to amend the Waqf Act 1995. The Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at the Centre argues that the bill is aimed at addressing the issues and challenges in regulating, registration process and managing Waqf properties and administration.
However, Muslim bodies across the country strongly oppose the proposed changes fearing they will dilute the Waqf Act and marginalize the community.
In a bid to voice these concerns, Mirwaiz led a delegation from Kashmir for a meeting with the Joint Parliamentary Committee led by BJP MP Jagdambika Pal in New Delhi on January 24 to submit his reservations on the bill.
He has also consulted a few leaders of Bharatiya Janata Party’s key alliance partners to 'engage' them on the Waqf Amendment bill, the source added.
Mirwaiz confirmed to ETV Bharat that he is trying to engage with leaders of Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United) and N Chandrababu Naidu-led Telugu Desam Party about their reservations on the Waqf bill. He said they want the bill should be put to debate in the Parliament instead of being cleared like the one on abrogation of Article 370.
"The authorities want to take control over Waqf and abrogate its authority and autonomy of Muslim institutions. There is no need to bring non-Muslims in the Waqf,” he said.
The lead taken by Mirwaiz to forge the pan-India grouping, according to him, is mainly because he comes from a Muslim majority place with "larger responsibilities as the key leader of the community".
"Muslims are facing challenges like the Waqf bill and UCC with one state already implementing it. Besides demolition drives, disputes over religious sites are the issues faced by Muslims across the country. We are trying to jointly challenge this onslaught,” he told ETV Bharat.
The democratic approach of engaging in dialogue is the key to finding a solution, according to him, and they are ready for consultations with all including those in power.
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