Madhya Pradesh Government has reorganized the State Waqf Board under the new Waqf Law. With this, Madhya Pradesh has become the first state in the country to constitute a new Waqf Board. For the first time, two Hindu members have also been made in the board. Now the political rhetoric regarding the reorganization of the board has intensified. The decision to include two Hindu members in the board for the first time has been welcomed by Board Chairman Sanwar Patel and Minister Vishwas Sarang. They say that this decision has been taken with the aim of better management, transparency and security of Waqf properties. The All India Muslim Festival Committee has expressed strong objection to this decision of the government.
Madhya Pradesh Waqf Board Chairman Sanwar Patel said that the restructuring of the board is an important and positive step. He said that this time along with two Hindu members, two women have also been included in the board. He said that some people are raising questions as to what is the role of Hindu members in the Waqf Board. He said that some people are talking about Muslim members in temples and Gurudwara committees.
Sanwar Patel said that Waqf Board and Mosque are different institutions. He said that Waqf Board is an administrative and management related body, where honest and capable people are needed. He said that the Board has been reorganized so that there is no corruption in Waqf properties and illegal encroachment on lands can be stopped.
Minister Vishwas Sarang also called the reorganization of the Waqf Board a commendable decision. He said that for the first time two Hindu members have been included in the board, which is an important step towards better management. He said that those who are comparing the inclusion of Muslim members in temple or gurudwara committees are not understanding the difference between the two systems. According to him, the Waqf Board is not a mosque but a statutory board whose objective is to ensure effective and transparent management of Waqf properties.
Here, a controversy has erupted regarding the appointment of non-Muslims as members in the new Waqf committee formed after the enactment of the new law. All India Muslim Festival Committee protested in the capital Bhopal regarding this. The committee raised slogans against the government at Budhwara intersection. Muslim organizations demand that this committee should be dissolved immediately because the Waqf Board is a matter related to their faith and the entry of Hindus in it is wrong.
Muslim organizations say that today an attempt is being made to capture the government board, tomorrow mosques and madrassas will also be captured. According to the organizations, the government is only looking at property and because of greed it wants to capture it. Organizations say that it is not a government organization but an autonomous body.
The demand of Muslim organizations is that if Hindus are joining the Waqf Board, then Muslims should also be included in the committees of all these temples like Ayodhya, Mathura, Mahakal. The organizations say that they will go to the President against this and if necessary, will also go to the Supreme Court. Apart from this, Muslim organizations have appealed to the Muslims to take to the streets and protest against this.
