Panipat (Haryana) [India], April 5 (ANI): Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday welcomed the passage of the much-debated Waqf Amendment Bill in the Parliament, saying that proposed amendments would resolve previous grievances related to land encroachment and disputes.

He said that the unamended Waqf Act of 1995 was 'one-sided' since it was 'misused' by a few people. Khattar added that properties under the Waqf board could help poor Muslims.

'It was a one-sided act, which has been misused by a few people. If the properties (of Waqf) are better used, it would help the poor Muslims. Now, with the new bill, which will become an Act, all the previous grievances will be resolved,' Khattar told ANI.

Uttarakhand Waqf Board Chairman Shadab Shams on Saturday attacked those protesting against the Waqf Amendment Bill, recently passed by the Parliament, labelling them as 'political Muslims.' He said that poor Muslims were not protesting against the bill, which he said was in their favour.

'The Waqf Amendment Bill is for the poor, and I had said that poor Muslims are not protesting. Those who are protesting are political Muslims,' Shams told ANI.

Earlier, Muslim organisations, under the banner of the Joint Forum for Waqf Protection, took to the streets in Kolkata, West Bengal, to protest against the Waqf Amendment Bill, which Parliament passed in the early hours of Friday.

The protestors hold placards that read, 'We Reject Waqf Amendment Bill' and 'Reject Waqf Bill.' 'No matter what happens, we will reclaim our rights in any way,' they chanted.

The Parliament passed the bill in the early hours of Friday after a marathon and heated debate in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. 288 MPs voted in favour of the bill 232 in the lower house, while in the Rajya Sabha, 128 MPs voted in its favour and 95 against it.

The government introduced the revised bill after incorporating the recommendations of the Joint Parliamentary Committee, which examined the legislation introduced in August last year. The bill seeks to amend the Act of 1995 and improve the administration and management of Waqf properties in India.

The bill aims to overcome the shortcomings of the previous act and enhance the efficiency of Waqf boards, improving the registration process and increasing the role of technology in managing Waqf records. (ANI)