A handful of people captured Waqf boards in the country and ordinary Muslims did not get justice, Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju told Lok Sabha today, countering the Opposition’s charge on the Waqf (Amendment) Act that was introduced today.

Mr Rijiju said the provisions in the proposed law are based on multiple inquiry reports over the years and wide-ranging consultations with lakhs of stakeholders.

To bolster his arguments, he cited several instances of encroachment and illegality by Waqf bodies. “Tiruchirapalli district is in Tamil Nadu. The 1,500-year-old Sundareshwar temple is located there. There, a man went to sell his property and was told that his village is a Waqf property. Just imagine, the entire village has been declared Waqf property. Don’t see religion here,” he said.

The minister also cited the example of Surat Municipal Corporation. “Surat Municipal Corporation headquarters was declared Waqf property. Can you imagine? How can this happen?”

“I am a Buddhist, not Hindu or Muslim, but I respect all religions. Don’t see this as a religious issue. Is the municipal corporation a private property? How can municipal property be declared Waqf property,” he questioned.

The minister also pointed to a 1976 inquiry report that recommended steps to discipline Waqf boards. He referred to Sachar committee’s recommendations for more representation in Waqf boards. “You should be happy, you made this committee,” he told the Opposition benches.

Playing up the provision in the proposed law that provides for the representation of Shia, Sunni, Bohra, Agakhani and other backward classes among Muslims, he said, “If one community is crushing smaller communities, how can this Parliament allow it?”

Mr Rijiju said that the Opposition is rooting for a small section of people capturing power in these bodies and that there is widespread discontent within Muslims for Waqf authorities.

He stressed that provisions in the Bill do not interfere with religious freedom or violate the Constitution in any way. The Centre has agreed to send the legislation to a joint parliamentary committee for scrutiny.

Mr Rijiju claimed that many leaders in the Opposition had privately told him that state Waqf boards had turned into mafia. “I won’t take their names and destroy their political careers,” he said.

Earlier, the Opposition targeted the Centre over the proposed changes over Waqf (Amendment) Bill. Congress’s KC Venugopal termed the proposed law “draconian” and said it is an attack on the freedom of religion and federal system. He also opposed the provision of appointing non-Muslim members to Waqf board.

Samajwadi Party, the second-largest Opposition force, also opposed the Bill. “No person from outside the community is part of other religious bodies. What is the point of including non-Muslims in Waqf bodies?” party chief and MP Akhilesh Yadav said.

Defending the legislation, Union Minister and leader of BJP ally JDU, Rajiv Ranjan Singh, said the Bill has been brought to make the functioning of Waqf boards transparent. Countering the Opposition’s charge that the Bill is against minorities, he referred to the 1984 anti-Sik riots in the aftermath of the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. “Who killed thousands of Sikhs?” he asked.

The spectre of a serial killer is looming large over a rural portion of Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly after nine women from the same age group have been found murdered in nearly the same fashion in a span of about 13 months. All of the women were strangled to death, most with their own saree, police officials said. 

Eight women from the 40-65 age group had been killed last year in the Shahi, Sheeshgarh and Shergarh police station areas, which border each other. In all of the cases, the bodies were found in sugarcane fields with the clothes dishevelled, but there were no signs of sexual assault. Another common thread in the murders was that most of the women were choked to death using the sarees they were wearing. 

Three murders took place in quick succession in June, followed by one each in July, August and October and two in November. 

After the eighth murder, an extra force of 300 policemen, divided into 14 teams of uniformed and plainclothes officials, descended on the region, patrolling and keeping an eye on known criminals. 

No other killings took place after that and even though the killer – or killers – had not been caught, local residents and the police heaved a sigh of relief. 

Another Killing In August

The peace lasted all of seven months, however, before 45-year-old Anita was strangled and her body was found in a sugarcane field in July. 

Anita, a resident of Bhujiya Jagir village in Shergarh had gone to her maternal home in Fatehganj’s Khirka village. She left the house on July 2 and went to a bank to withdraw some money. Her body  was found in a sugarcane field and a post-mortem revealed that she had been strangled with her saree. 

An official said they had suspicions that one person, a serial killer, could be behind last year’s murders and the killing in July has strengthened those suspicions. The Uttar Pradesh police brass has also become involved and Additional Director General of Police Ramit Sharma, Inspector General Rakesh Kumar and Senior Superintendent of Police Anurag Arya and Superintendent of Police Manush Pareek were among those who reached the spot where the body was found to take stock of the situation.

Sketches Released

After speaking to several people from the areas where the murders took place, the police have released the sketches of three suspects. They have also issued a list of phone numbers for people to call if they have any leads, including 9554402549 and 9258256969 for the office of the Superintendent of Police (South), Bareilly. 

SP (South) Manush Pareek said, “A woman’s body was found in a sugarcane field in the Shahi police station area on July 2. A case has been registered and many teams have been deployed. Some similar murders have been carried out before this as well and we are trying to ascertain how many of them are connected.”

“Many teams are working on the case and patrols are being carried out. Checkpoints have also been set up and suspicious vehicles are being stopped for inspection. Advisories have been issued in villages, asking people to remain alert. We will soon uncover who is behind the murders,” he added.

(With inputs from Randeep Singh) 

The minority affairs minister, Kiren Rijiju, referred the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, to a joint Parliamentary committee for further discussion. The bill aimed to modernize the Waqf Act, 1995, by enhancing women’s rights and ensuring equitable representation. Key changes included clarifying property dedication rules and repealing Section 40, which allowed Waqf boards to decide on Waqf property status.