The Lok Sabha has passed the Waqf Amendment Bill concerning the management of properties donated by Muslims, following an extensive debate that prolonged late into Wednesday night. The bill was approved with a vote count of 288 in favor and 232 against, with all amendments proposed by the opposition being dismissed. Kiren Rijiju, the Minister of Minority Affairs, emphasized that India prioritizes the safety of its minorities owing to its secular majority. In a midnight address that followed nearly 12 hours of discussion, Rijiju claimed the amendment would serve the interests of poor and marginalized Muslims, who will remember this historic decision and subsequently pray for Prime Minister Modi.
There was criticism from Rijiju directed towards the opposition for questioning governmental procedures rather than concentrating on ways to enhance the bill. He expressed confidence in government officials and highlighted that the newly drafted provisions will necessitate documentation for declaring Waqf properties, which have often been established based on oral claims alone. He pointed out that a mere fraction of existing Waqf properties are currently utilized for charitable purposes. Rijiju accused opposition members of neglecting to recognize the bill’s advantages and not providing adequate justification for their assertions that it is unconstitutional.
Rijiju clarified that the bill exclusively deals with Waqf property management and is not concerned with religious issues, alleging that the opposition is attempting to exploit Muslim sentiments for electoral benefit. The proposal aims to repeal antiquated statutes and is presented as the Unified Waqf Management Empowerment Efficient and Development Bill (UMMEED Bill). The minister argued that amendments were vital due to the previous law established by the UPA government, which allowed it to override other statutes and insisted that opposition claims misled the public regarding the bill’s true intent.
Both Rijiju and Home Minister Amit Shah asserted that the proposed reforms would improve the lives of poor Muslims and women. In contrast, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav harshly criticized the bill, labeling it a strategy by the BJP to politically polarize the electorate after their electoral losses, and warned that it could tarnish India’s secular standing. Yadav alleged that the BJP was resorting to communal politics to appease supporters disillusioned by the party’s policies.
In response to the backlash, Shah firmly defended the bill, countering perceptions that appointing non-Muslims to the Waqf council infringed upon community rights. He reproached individuals inciting discord among Muslims regarding the legislation, asserting that it is a law that must be accepted universally. Thus, the debate around the Waqf Amendment Bill encapsulates deep political divides and the significance of property management in the context of minority rights in India.
After receiving approval from both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025 will be enacted. Union Minister Amit Shah conveyed that the government will not intervene in Waqf affairs but aims to enhance the management of properties intended for charitable religious purposes, ensuring the proper utilization of donations. He accused the opposition of inducing fear regarding the bill’s potential consequences as a tactic for electoral gain, attributing the necessity for these amendments to the alterations made by the Congress-led UPA government in 2013, which he labeled as biased towards appeasement.
Shah pointed out several instances nationwide where substantial properties claimed by various state Waqf boards are mismanaged, often leading to personal benefits for select individuals rather than genuine support for the community. He stressed that the proposed law seeks to rectify such abuse, emphasizing that the funds are intended for the benefit of poor Muslims rather than affluent individuals. He highlighted the meager income of merely Rs 163 crore generated from Waqf properties as evidence of mismanagement.
Moreover, Shah referenced previous comments from opposition figures, including RJD president Lalu Prasad Yadav, who in 2013 had raised alarms about the unlawful appropriation of property under the Waqf law. He claimed that the bill has not been thoroughly discussed with minority representatives, mentioning that four meetings of the Minority Commission in 2023 did not address the necessity for a Waqf amendment. This raised questions regarding whether the Minority Affairs Ministry was the one orchestrating the bill or if it involved other departments.
He also voiced apprehensions about Clause 3, which specifies the definition of a practicing Muslim. Shah argued that minorities are being pressured into establishing their religious identity through certification, raising concerns about whether such requirements could soon be imposed on followers of other faiths, which he perceived as a breach of Article 26 of the Constitution.
In response, BJP’s Anurag Thakur emphasized that the bill concerns law against lawlessness and tackling corruption rather than religious division. In a symbolic protest, AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi publicly tore up a copy of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025 in the Lok Sabha, drawing parallels to Mahatma Gandhi’s historical opposition to unjust laws. Owaisi criticized the bill as unconstitutional, claiming it fosters divisions within the country under the guise of religious institutions, and advocated for the acceptance of ten proposed amendments he put forth.
