The Waqf Board is claiming nearly 75% of the farmland in the village, which is putting the livelihoods of 103 farmers in jeopardy. The state government says it will look out for the farmers, but that promise doesn’t cut it. This issue goes beyond just land; it raises red flags about the Waqf Board's history of making arbitrary decisions and the fear it has created in the community. MNS chief Raj Thackeray is pushing for the quick passage of the Waqf Amendment Bill in the current parliamentary session.
In a Facebook post, Thackeray pointed out that a few months back, the central government introduced a bill to change the Waqf Act. But then, opposition parties with ties to the Muslim community caused a ruckus, and the bill ended up being sent to a parliamentary committee for more review. The Maha Vikas Aghadi was against the amended bill. Thackeray took this chance to lay out the main changes being proposed.
Here are the key changes:
1. The power to decide if a property belongs to the Waqf Board will be taken away, which highlights how arbitrary the Board's past decisions have been.
2. Before, the Waqf Tribunal decided if a property was Waqf or government land. With the new bill, the District Collector will make that call, tackling issues of encroachment.
3. The Waqf Board will now have representation from Muslim women and the non-Muslim community.
4. The Comptroller and Auditor General will be able to audit how the Waqf Board operates.
5. Anyone wanting to transfer property to the Waqf Board will need to sign a written agreement, creating a proper legal framework instead of the old bid agreement.
Thackeray stressed that these changes are totally reasonable. He reminded everyone of the big moves made during Narendra Modi's second term as Prime Minister, like scrapping Article 370, banning triple talaq, and building the Ram temple. The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena backed these moves, which is why they supported Modi in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. He urged the central government to pass this bill without giving in to opposition pressure and called on the state government to make sure no injustice happens to the farmers in Talegaon and that their land is safe from Waqf Board claims.
Thackeray also talked about the bigger picture of the Waqf Board system, bringing up Vinoba Bhave’s 'Bhoodan Movement.' After independence, this movement saw many acres of land given back to the government by Hindus as a way to help the landless. Thackeray challenged the Waqf Board to show similar generosity. Instead of just taking people’s land, the Waqf Board should return the land it holds to the government, proving its commitment to nationalism.