'Major Correction Of Historical Wrongs': BJP Hails Waqf Bill, Says It'll Benefit ASI Monuments, Tribals
In a post on X, BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari alleged that the Congress had enabled "appeasement" for decades, which was now being corrected by the government led by PM Narendra Modi
Amid the Waqf (Amendment) Bill being tabled for discussion and passage in Parliament on Wednesday, the BJP claimed that this legislation is a “major correction of historical wrongs".
Pradeep Bhandari, national spokesperson for the BJP, said one such “correction" was that monuments under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) can no longer be claimed as Waqf. In a post on X, he alleged that the Congress had enabled “appeasement" for decades, which was now being corrected by the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
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After an internal survey last year, the ASI had found that more than 200 of its protected monuments were claimed as Waqf properties. Among these were Safdarjung’s Tomb, Purana Qila, Humayun’s Tomb, and Qutb Minar in Delhi, as per a list provided by the joint parliamentary committee (JPC) on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill. The central agency had informed the parliamentary panel – headed by BJP MP Jagdambika Pal – that 280 of its protected monuments have been listed as Waqf properties.
Sharing parts of the Bill in a post on X, BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya also highlighted two “big insertions", ‘3D’ and ‘3E’. He said under ‘3D’, ASI-protected monuments have been excluded from Waqf’s ambit while under ‘3E’, tribal lands under the Fifth and Sixth Schedules are fully protected.
Here are the two insertions, as mentioned in the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, and their implications highlighted by Malviya:
3D: Any declaration or notification issued under this Act or under any previous Act m respect of waqf properties shall be void, if such property was a protected monument or protected area under the Ancient Monuments Preservation Act, 1904 or the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, at the time of such declaration or notification.
Implication: Malviya said ASI-protected monuments have now been excluded from Waqf’s ambit. This decision was made because ASI is merely a custodian, and protected properties may not necessarily be government assets, he said.
3E: Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act or any other law for the time being in force, no land belonging to members of Scheduled Tribes under the provisions of the Fifth Schedule or the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution shall be declared or deemed to be waqf property.
Implication: The BJP leader said excluding tribal land from Waqf’s purview will safeguard the interests of these communities and curb encroachment, which has been a significant issue in Jharkhand and other tribal-dominated areas. This is a major step in protecting tribal rights, benefiting Bengal’s tribals and many others, he added.
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