Mumbai, 8th September: In a high-level meeting held this morning at 9 AM, senior leader and Rajya Sabha MP, Mr. Sharad Pawar, met with key members of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) at his residence, Silver Oak. The delegation was led by Maulana Mohammed Fazlurrahim Mujaddidi, the Board’s General Secretary, who made a special visit to Mumbai to advocate against the proposed Waqf Amendment Bill 2024.
During the meeting, AIMPLB presented a memorandum to Mr. Pawar, outlining their concerns that the Bill is unconstitutional and urging its withdrawal. Maulana Mohammed Fazlurrahim Mujaddidi and other members emphasized that misinformation is being spread about the Waqf Board’s powers, and clarified that many Waqf properties are under illegal occupation, which this Bill would make even more difficult to reclaim. They also raised serious concerns about the Bill’s provisions, including transferring judicial authority to district collectors and removing the requirement for the Waqf Board’s CEO to be Muslim, as well as the inclusion of non-Muslim members on the Board.
Maulana Mohammed Fazlurrahim Mujaddidi voiced the Muslim community’s firm rejection of the Bill and urged Mr. Pawar to use his political influence within the INDIA alliance to pressure the government to withdraw it. He emphasized that Muslims would continue to resist the Bill through all constitutionally available means.
In response, Mr. Sharad Pawar assured the AIMPLB delegation that his party would strongly oppose the Bill and prevent its passage. He further informed the group that Shreesh Mahatre, also known as Baliya Mama, a member of the Joint Parliamentary Committee, has been instructed to ensure that the concerns of the Muslim community are fully represented. Maulana Mohammed Fazlurrahim Mujaddidi expressed his gratitude to Mr. Pawar for his support and wished him well.
Other prominent AIMPLB members present at the meeting included Maulana Mahmood Ahmed Khan Daryabadi, Abu Asim Azmi, Dr. Zaheer Qazi, Mufti Saeedur Rahman, Saleem Motorwala, Shia scholar Maulana Rooh Zafar, Shakir Sheikh, Maulana Anis Ahmed Ashrafi, Maulana Burhanuddin Qasmi, Dr. Azeemuddin, Hafiz Iqbal Choonawala, Naeem Sheikh, and Suhail Subedar.
