Daijiworld Media Network – Lucknow

Lucknow, Apr 11: In a strong endorsement of the recently passed Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, Shaista Ambar, President of the All India Muslim Women Personal Law Board and noted social activist, has thrown her full support behind the legislation, while taking sharp digs at political parties and individuals who have opposed it.

Calling for stringent action against those misusing Waqf properties, Ambar urged the Muslim community and institutions like the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) to cooperate with the government in identifying illegal occupants and ensuring that Waqf land is used for its original, welfare-oriented purpose.

“Those who have acted against the principles and laws of Waqf must be held accountable,” Ambar told on Friday. “Waqf land was donated in the name of God for the betterment of society, especially for those who are economically and socially weak. It cannot be sold, purchased, or donated.”

She welcomed the new Act passed in the Lok Sabha on April 3 and the Rajya Sabha on April 4, becoming law on April 8 as a much-needed step to cleanse the system and bring justice to the poor and underprivileged sections, especially women.

Ambar highlighted the importance of utilising Waqf land for constructive projects like shelter homes, educational institutions, madrasas, hospitals, and other public welfare initiatives.

“This will help the community, especially Muslim women and backward sections, become part of the mainstream and contribute to nation-building,” she said, adding, “If people have used the Waqf properties for personal gain, they must be investigated, and the land should be confiscated.”

She also lashed out at AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and members of the INDIA bloc, accusing them of political opportunism and turning a blind eye to the exploitation of Waqf land during the Congress-led UPA regime.

“Where were they when Waqf land was being looted? Did any Muslim leader from Congress open a college, university, or hospital with it?” she asked. “Now they’re hungry for power and opposing a reform that actually helps the poor.”

Ambar recalled how Muslim women were once denied entry into mosques, forcing them to build their own place of worship an example, she said, of how women have historically been sidelined by the very groups now claiming to represent their interests.

She revealed that she had long spoken out against corruption in the Waqf system, even writing to former Presidents Pratibha Patil and Pranab Mukherjee, and had also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2017 to demand action against illegal encroachments on Waqf land.

She emphasized the urgent need for housing and training centres for divorced Muslim women, to empower them socially and economically.

“The Sachar Committee report was never properly implemented by the UPA. Today, reforms are being made, but those who failed us then are trying to stall progress now,” she added.

In her closing remarks, Ambar called upon AIMPLB to reconsider its stand and work with the government. “Let us clean the system and use Waqf for what it was meant to serve the needy. Let us build a better future for our women, our children, and our community.”