Staff reporter
Guwahati: The state BJP alleged that the revenue generated has been negligible due to rampant encroachments and mismanagement in property of the Assam board of Waqf. Addressing the media at the BJP’s Assam Pradesh headquarters—Atal Bihari Vajpayee Bhawan in Basistha—National Research & Policy In-Charge of the state BJP Zafreen Mehjabin said that the enactment of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill has ushered in the end of a dark era for the marginalized and deprived sections of India’s Muslim population. Mehjabin lauded the decisive move of the Narendra Modi-led NDA government to crack down on corruption in the name of Waqf through this reformative legislation.
She emphasized that this law is not only a step towards accountability but also a significant stride in empowering Muslim women and securing their rights over community assets. As per Islamic principles, “Waqf” refers to any immovable or movable property permanently dedicated for religious, pious, or charitable purposes. However, Mehjabin accused the Congress of using Waqf-related legislation purely for political appeasement, citing amendments made in 1995 and 2013 aimed solely at pandering to the Muslim vote bank. She noted that both subsequent general elections—1996 and 2014—resulted in Congress’ electoral downfall, with the public embracing the BJP’s nationalist governance model.
Highlighting the scale of the issue, Mehjabin revealed that India has over 37.39 lakh hectares of Waqf land. A significant portion of this has been illegally occupied and misused by a handful of self-serving Muslim leaders. Properties capable of generating rent worth Rs 1.5 lakh per month were being leased for as little as Rs 5,000—amounting to broad daylight loot under the guise of religious endowment. The Modi government’s bold move has shaken the very foundation of these vested interests, causing panic among opposition parties who are now resorting to emotional manipulation and communal rhetoric.
Turning to Assam, Mehjabin pointed out that the state has approximately 19,000 bighas of Waqf land, with an estimated value of Rs. 70,000 to 80,000 crore. Yet, the revenue generated has been negligible due to rampant encroachments and mismanagement.
Mehjabin also didn’t mince words when she took aim at the Congress MP from Jorhat, who had earlier served as the MP of Kaliabor, questioning his total apathy towards the upliftment of the region’s minority population. Not a single rupee from the MP’s Local Area Development (MPLAD) Fund was allocated for their development during his tenure. She accused him of now shedding crocodile tears by opposing the Waqf amendment purely for electoral gains and to appease the Muslim vote bank. In a stinging critique, she recalled that just 25 days before the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the then-Congress government pushed through a politically motivated amendment to the Waqf Act in 2013, transferring 123 prime properties in Delhi’s VVIP zone to the Delhi Waqf Board as part of appeasement politics.
While addressing the media, state BJP spokesperson Mominul Aowal remarked that the original purpose of constituting Waqf Boards has finally been realized through this amendment. In Assam, Waqf properties had long been treated as golden eggs by a privileged few. He pointed out that when the Waqf Board was functioning under a committee, revenue collection hovered around Rs. 80,000–90,000. But ever since the state government took direct control in recent years, revenue has shot up to Rs. 2.56 crore. In fact, from Waqf income alone, the government was able to contribute Rs. 50 lakh to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.
This, Aowal asserted, clearly validates the effectiveness and transparency ushered in by the BJP government’s Waqf reforms.
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