In a significant legal move, the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) has gone to the Supreme Court knocking on its doors against some provisions of the Waqf Act. The central law, passed in Parliament and signed by the President, has found itself in the midst of a controversy since parts of the Muslim community have raised their eyebrows over it.
YSRCP petition is for the elimination of some clauses which, according to the party, violate fundamental rights of the Indian Constitution. The party has specifically invoked Articles 13, 14, 25, and 26 that enjoin equality before law, freedom of religion, and the independence of religious denominations to manage their own affairs.
The primary concern of YSRCP relates to Sections 9 and 14 of the Act, allowing the inclusion of non-Muslim members in Waqf Boards. According to the party, it is an attempt to dilute religious sanctity and autonomous functioning of Waqf institutions and considers it an unwanted interference in a community-specific religious and administrative setup.
According to the petition, the inclusion of non-Muslims in these religious bodies undermines the spiritual integrity and governance autonomy of Waqf properties and boards. The YSRCP emphasized that the current provisions are not only unconstitutional but also fail to reflect the sentiments and rights of the Muslim community.
Though the party has not made available any detailed information about its legal arguments, it said that the petition was made with the objective of safeguarding the rights, identity, and sentiments of Muslims in the nation as a whole. YSRCP is confident that unless such contentious clauses are removed, trust in the Waqf system will further erode.
It should be noted that the Supreme Court is already hearing several petitions on the Waqf Act, moved by party leaders such as Congress, AAP, AIMIM, and even Tamil actor Vijay, and a few Muslim organisations. The YSRCP plea will likely be clubbed with these pending cases, with the next hearing in the coming days.
This shift has given new life to the national debate over the Waqf Act, with increasing numbers of political parties and community leaders calling for changes that conform to constitutional norms and religious freedoms.
