"Govt's intent is very clear": AISSC chairman Syed Naseruddin Chishty backs PM Modi over Waqf (Amendment) Act

Ajmer (Rajasthan) [India], April 15 (ANI): All India Sufi Sajjadanashin Council Chairman Syed Naseruddin Chishty on Tuesday extended his support to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Waqf Amendment Act, stating that the government's intent behind the move is "very clear."
Speaking to ANI, Syed Naseruddin Chishty said that he is hopeful that the new Act will properly utilise the Waqf Fund for the welfare of society.
"What PM Modi said yesterday made his intent very clear. He said that the Waqf Act is being amended so that there is proper utilisation of Waqf management, its properties, its funds and upliftment of poor Muslims. That is what the PM said, and it is absolutely correct. I agree with him. The Govt's intent is very clear... I, too, am very hopeful that with the new Act, the Waqf Fund will be properly utilised for the welfare of society," Syed Naseruddin Chishty said.
A day earlier, PM Modi accused the Congress party of spreading "votebank ka virus" for opposing the recently passed Waqf (Amendment) Act. The Prime Minister also accused the Opposition party of treating the SC and ST communities as "second-class citizens".
"Congress has become the destroyer of Constitutions. Dr BR Ambedkar wanted to bring in equality, but Congress spread the virus of vote bank politics. Babasaheb wanted every poor and every backwards person to be able to live with dignity and with their head held high, to have dreams and complete them," PM Modi said in his address to the public in Hisar (Haryana).
He further said that there were "lakhs of hectares of land" which are under the Waqf board, but the properties and assets have not been used properly to help the poor and the needy.
"There are lakhs of hectares of land in the name of Waqf. If benefits from Waqf properties had been given to the needy, it would have benefitted them. But land mafia benefitted from these properties," the prime minister said.
He stated that with the change in the Waqf law,, the "loot of land" will also stop under the new amendments: "The loot of the poor will stop with this amended Waqf law. Under the new Waqf law, land or property belonging to any Adivasi cannot be touched by the Waqf Board...Poor Muslims and Pasmanda Muslims will get their rights. This is real social justice."
Earlier on April 6, President Droupadi Murmu gave assent to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which was passed by Parliament during the budget session of Parliament. The President also gave her assent to the Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill, 2025, which has also been passed by the Parliament.
The Rajya Sabha passed the Bill on Friday with 128 votes in favour and 95 against, while the Lok Sabha cleared the bill after a lengthy debate, with 288 members voting in favour and 232 opposing it. (ANI)