he main purpose of the huge waqf board universe in India is to serve the Muslim community. But even as the waqf board has emerged as the third largest owner of land in the country, Indian Muslims are struggling for basic needs and fare worse than Dalits on several socio-economic indicators. Waqf owners today are India’s largest urban landlords.
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The dismal performance of waqf boards raises a question on the purpose of these institutions.
Waqf properties are not generating enough profit for the community, and there have been several allegations of corruption and mismanagement since Independence. Each state has its own story to tell, from Uttar Pradesh to West Bengal. In September 2022, AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan, Delhi Waqf Board chairman, was arrested for alleged misappropriation of waqf funds and other irregularities. Last month, the Centre seized 123 waqf properties.
These are just a few examples that show how the waqf board has become a tool to save the interest of elite (Ashraaf) Muslims and ordinary Indian Muslims get nothing out of it1.
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- 1. Pasmanda Muslims also bear the brunt of reaction coming from other communities over special privileges given to waqf boards by the 1995 Act. No other minority group has so much land for the place of worship. In fact, Hindu temples and their land still belong to the State. Additionally, waqf making claims on others’ lands only adds to the fault lines among communities and affects Pasmanda Muslims more than anyone else.