MP Mannalal Rawat Welcomes Provision to Prohibit Waqf Property Declaration in Tribal Areas

MP Mannalal Rawat had earlier submitted a recommendation letter to the committee.

Significant amendment in the Waqf (Amendment) Bill: No waqf property can be declared in tribal areas.

Udaipur: MP Mannalal Rawat has expressed happiness over the inclusion of a provision in the Waqf (Amendment) Bill that prohibits the declaration of waqf properties in tribal areas under the Fifth and Sixth Schedules. He stated that this provision would help protect the indigenous culture and constitutional rights of tribal communities.

During the discussion on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju emphasized that in consideration of tribal protection, waqf properties cannot be declared in tribal areas under the Fifth and Sixth Schedules. He further stated that the amendment has been carefully introduced to prevent situations where tribal lands are converted into waqf properties.

Earlier, MP Mannalal Rawat had submitted a letter to the chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, recommending that waqf board provisions should not be implemented in tribal areas. In his letter, he mentioned that his parliamentary constituency falls under a Scheduled Area declared by the President under the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution, which aims to preserve tribal culture and constitutional rights.

He further highlighted that the construction and expansion of cemeteries, shrines, mausoleums, mosques, and dargahs in Scheduled Areas contradict the indigenous culture of the tribal population. Such constructions do not align with the Indian way of life and go against the fundamental principles of the Constitution. He asserted that the presence of waqf properties in these areas continuously harms tribal culture and negatively impacts India's traditional ethos.

MP Rawat recommended that, in keeping with the defined parameters of the Fifth Schedule, the provisions of the waqf board should not apply to Scheduled Areas. He suggested that this be formally incorporated into the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024.