‘Why should I apologize? Hijab keeps women safe’: Zameer Ahmed to D K Shivakumar

New Delhi: The Congress is set to oppose the introduction of the bill to amend the law governing Waqf boards in the Lok Sabha, sources said on Thursday.

Congress MPs K C Venugopal and Hibi Eden have also given notices to oppose the introduction of the Bill in the Lok Sabha.

Eden has said in his notice that he opposes the presentation of the bill as it is "unconstitutional" and cited that it is in conflict with the Right to Property (Article 300A), the sources said.

The Bill can potentially infringe on the property rights of individuals and religious institutions without adequate legal safeguards, he argued.

Eden also contended that the bill is an infringement on the Fundamental Right of Religious Freedom under Article 25, the sources said.

The Bill's imposition of new conditions for creating waqfs and the requirement for existing waqfs to register detailed information on a government portal might be perceived as undue interference in the administration of religious endowments, he said in his notice.

Eden also argued that it is an encroachment on states' powers.

The Bill, which seeks to amend the law governing waqf boards, has proposed far-reaching changes in the present Act, including ensuring the representation of Muslim women and non-Muslims in such bodies.

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill also seeks to rename the Waqf Act, 1995, as the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Act, 1995.

The Bill was circulated among Lok Sabha members on Tuesday night ahead of its introduction.

According to its statement of objects and reasons, the Bill seeks to omit Section 40 of the current law relating to the powers of the Board to decide if a property is waqf property.

It provides for a broad-based composition of the Central Waqf Council and the State Waqf Boards and ensures the representation of Muslim women and non-Muslims in such bodies.

The Bill also proposes the establishment of a separate board of Auqaf for the Bohras and Aghakhanis. The draft law provides for the representation of Shias, Sunnis, Bohras, Agakhanis and other backward classes among Muslim communities. 

People living in Edakkal area of Kerala's landslide-hit Wayanad district complained on Friday that they heard a noise coming from under the earth, creating panic among residents.

Local residents told reporters they heard a huge sound, accompanied by a jerk-like sensation, prompting government authorities to investigate.

The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) said it is examining seismic records and also attempting local reconnaissance to find if anything is anomalous.

"As of now seismic records do not show any indications of movements," it said.

The sound was heard at around 10:15 am, according to a panchayat ward member who spoke to a TV news channel.

A holiday has been declared for schools in the affected area, authorities said.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has warned the Israeli regime of a "harsh response" for the assassination of Hamas's Political Bureau Chief Ismail Haniyeh, saying it is the Islamic Republic's duty to avenge the blood of the Palestinian resistance leader.

Ayatollah Khamenei made the remarks on Wednesday, hours after Haniyeh, who had traveled to Tehran to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Iran’s new president, was killed in a dawn attack in the capital.

“The criminal and terrorist Zionist regime martyred our dear guest in our homeland and left us bereaved, but it also set the ground for a harsh punishment for itself,” the Leader said.

Ayatollah Khamenei commended Haniyeh’s years-long sacrifices in his fight against the Israeli occupation and said he was ready for martyrdom and sacrificed his children and households on this path. 

“He was not afraid of embracing martyrdom in the way of God and saving God's servants, but we consider it our duty to avenge his blood in this bitter and horrific incident that came to pass in the Islamic Republic's territory," the Leader asserted.