MP Aga Ruhullah Meets Mirwaiz Umar Farooq in Delhi, Discusses Waqf Amendment Bill and Other Key Issues
Delhi, Jan 29: Member of Parliament Syed Aga Ruhullah Mehdi met with Mirwaiz Umar Farooq in Delhi on Wednesday, with discussions centering around the contentious Waqf Amendment Bill and several other pressing issues, sources confirmed.
According to sources, the meeting was a courtesy call as Aga Ruhullah is in the capital for the upcoming Budget session. Meanwhile, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq remains in Delhi after leading a delegation of the Mutahida Majlis Ulema (MMU) last week to meet Jagdambika Pal, Chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf Amendment Bill.
The meeting gains significance against the backdrop of ongoing debates between the ruling BJP and the opposition over the proposed amendments to the Waqf Act. Notably, this marks Mirwaiz Umar Farooq’s first engagement with a sitting MP since the abrogation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of Jammu & Kashmir into two union territories—Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh—in August 2019.
The Waqf Amendment Bill: A Contentious Debate
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, introduced in Lok Sabha on August 8, 2024, was referred to the JPC following objections raised by the opposition over several of its provisions. The bill has faced criticism for restructuring the Central Waqf Council and Waqf Boards, limiting the powers of Waqf Boards, and mandating the registration of Waqf properties with the district collector’s office.
On Friday, the MMU delegation led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq submitted a detailed memorandum to the JPC outlining concerns regarding the bill’s proposed changes. The JPC, dominated by BJP and its allies (16 MPs) against 10 opposition members, recently voted in favor of 14 amendments to the draft bill. These changes include distinguishing between the mandatory inclusion of two non-Muslim members and nominated ex-officio members, which may include both Muslim and non-Muslim representatives.
Proposals from the opposition were rejected by a 16-10 vote, with JPC members voting along party lines. The committee formally adopted the draft report today, which will be presented to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla tomorrow.
As debates around the Waqf Amendment Bill continue to intensify, political observers see Aga Ruhullah’s meeting with Mirwaiz Umar Farooq as a significant development that could influence the discourse surrounding the bill in the coming days.