By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,
Bhopal: The Zakat Foundation of India (ZFI) president Dr. Syed Zafar Mahmood has expressed grave concern over the fact that 20 vital recommendations of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Waqfs and Sachar Committee have not been included by the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs in the Waqf Bill, 2010. Dr. Mahmood urged Imams and “Khateebs” to talk about these vital issues in detail during their Friday sermons so as to make the Muslim Ummah well aware of the infringement of their rights and how the government is trying to hoodwink them.
In a press statement he pointed out that in the Lok Sabha, the Minister of Minority Affairs did not mention these blatant omissions. There was no debate on these issues. On the other hand, the Ministry has unilaterally included some provisions in the Waqf Bill which are injurious to Waqfs and their utilization for needy Muslims.
Dr. Mahmood said that all this has been documented in English and Urdu by the Zakat Foundation of India and uploaded on its website www.zakatindia.org. There are also ZFI’s ‘power point’ and video presentations on the website, he added. He has appealed to the people of India, the well wishers of Auqaf and specially the Imams & “Khateebs” to kindly take printouts from www.zakatindia.org and carefully read as to how there is a move to take Auqaf from Muslim control and utilization. The Imam and “Khateeb” sahebaan have been particularly requested to talk about these vital issues in detail during their Friday sermons. The entire Ummah has to be galvanised to retain the ownership of Auqaaf. There are people in the Parliament, the Government and different political parties who sympathise with this important Muslim cause. But, we have to explain to them the nuances of the problems related with the Waqf Bill, 2010, the statement said. ([email protected])