Maharashtra Waqf Board sent notice to 103 people, claimed 300 acres of farmers’ land

New Delhi: More than 100 farmers in Latur district of Maharashtra on Saturday claimed that the Waqf Board is trying to grab their land on which they have been farming for several generations. He said that this claim has been filed in the Maharashtra State Waqf Tribunal located in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and notices have been issued to 103 farmers who have a total of 300 acres of land.

Tukaram Kanavate, one of the farmers, told PTI, “These lands have been inherited by us for generations. These are not Waqf properties. We want the Maharashtra government to give us justice. Two hearings have been held in the court on this matter and the next hearing is on December 20.”

The Central Government introduced the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha on August 8 this year to streamline the functioning of the Waqf Board and ensure efficient management of its properties. The bill has been sent to the Joint Parliamentary Committee.

What is the meaning of Waqf?
Waqf refers to properties dedicated for religious or charitable purposes under Islamic law. Waqf is derived from the Arabic word Wakuffa, which means to stay. Waqf means to dedicate trust property for public welfare. It is a kind of charitable arrangement in Islam. Waqf is the property that is donated by the followers of Islam. It can be both movable and immovable. This wealth comes under the Waqf Board.

How is the Waqf Board formed and works?
Waqf has a lot of property, which can be maintained properly and used for charity, for this there are many bodies from local to large level, which are called Waqf Board. There are Sunni and Shia Waqfs in almost every state. Their job is to take care of that property and use its income properly. This property includes helping the poor and needy, maintaining a mosque or other religious institution, arranging education and giving money for other religious works.

The Center has formed the Central Waqf Council to coordinate with the Waqf Boards. The website of the Central Waqf Council, which comes under the Ministry of Minority Affairs, states that there are currently a total of 32 Waqf Boards in the country. At the same time, some states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh have separate boards for both Sunni and Shia. In contrast, there is currently no Waqf Board in many states and union territories.