Waqf Board claims 200 govt properties in Delhi: Officials

New Delhi: Top officials of the Union government apprised the Parliamentary panel examining the Waqf (Amendment) Bill that more than 200 properties in the national capital under the control of two different central government agencies had been declared as Waqf properties.

Urban Affairs and Road Transport secretaries and Railway Board chairman along with other ministry officials made presentations to the Joint Committee on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill.

Interacting with the secretaries, opposition members asked why there was need for such a bill when these ministries, like the Railway Ministry, have in-house mechanisms and its own tribunals, sources said.

"Several government agencies have won cases related to the dispute of land with Waqf boards and the land is also under their possession. Then, what is the need for this bill," the opposition members asked the officials, sources said.

Opposition members grilled officials from all three ministries over the regulation of the bill which could override some of the provisions of the laws of their respective ministries, sources said.

Countering the opposition, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey suggested that they need to make sure that Waqf property is used for religious and welfare purposes and not for personal benefits, sources said. Dubey said some property could even come under the Enemy Property Act and not Waqf property, sources said.

In its presentation, the Urban Affairs Ministry suggested that land acquisition for forming the new capital city of Delhi was done during the British era (in 1911-1912), but later, the Delhi Waqf Board declared several of the acquired properties as Waqf properties, which led to several court cases.

Among the properties declared Waqf properties, include 108 properties under the control of Land and Development Office (L&DO), and 138 under the control of Delhi Development Authority (DDA).

A total of 341 sq km of land was acquired to build the national capital and due compensation was paid to the affected persons, a claim that was contested by the members.

The members also wanted the government to ascertain whether the claims by the Waqf Board on properties in Delhi were made after following the due process laid down in the Wakf Act of 1954.

BJD to oppose Waqf Bill if tabled in Parliament: Patnaik
Bhubaneswar: Leader of Opposition in Odisha assembly Naveen Patnaik on Thursday asserted that his party, the BJD, would "strongly oppose" the Waqf (Amendment) Bill if it is tabled in Parliament.

Patnaik, addressing the concluding session of the BJD Minority Cell meeting at 'Sankha Bhawan' here, said Odisha is known for harmony, brotherhood and peace.

"The BJD will strongly oppose the bill if it is tabled in Parliament," the five-time former chief minister said.-PTI