New Delhi: The Lok Sabha on Wednesday took up for consideration the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which incorporates suggestions made by the Joint Parliamentary Committee that examined the bill tabled in Parliament in August 2024. The House also took up the Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill, 2024, for consideration and passing.
Union Minister for Minorities Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju moved the two bills for passing in the House amid objection by the Opposition.
The Bill aims to amend the Waqf Act of 1995. After the introduction of the Bill, the Union Minister said that the Bill will not have any impact on mosque management and there will be no meddling in the religious affairs by the government.
Tabling the bill, which was examined and redrafted by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), Rijiju said the legislation has nothing to do with religion, but deals only with properties.
“The government is not going to interfere in any religious institution. The changes made in the Waqf law by the UPA government gave it overriding effect over other statutes, hence the new amendments were required,” Rijiju said amid noisy opposition protest, adding, “You (opposition) tried to mislead the people on issues which are not part of the Waqf Bill.”
Largest-ever exercise
Rijiju also claimed the consultation process of the JPC was the largest-ever exercise carried out by a parliamentary panel in India's democratic history.
The minister said more than 97.27 lakh petitions and memorandums were received by the JPC through physical and online formats and the JPC had gone through each of them before finalising its report.
As many as 284 delegations submitted their views on the Bill besides the Waqf boards of 25 states and Union Territories, he said.
Rijiju alleged that the Congress handed over 123 government properties to Waqf Board during its tenure. He said, “if we had not brought the Bill, then the Parliament building would also have been claimed as Waqf property.”
Targeting the Congress, the Union Minister said, “Changes made in Waqf law by UPA govt gave it overriding effect over other statutes, hence new amendments were required.”
He also accused the Opposition of misleading the people on issues which are not part of Waqf Bill.
Extensive discussions
Rijiju also congratulated all the members of the Joint Parliament Committe (JPC). “I want to say that the discussion that has taken place on the Waqf Amendment Bill in the Joint Committee of both the Houses has never been done in the parliamentary history of India till date. I thank and congratulate all the members of the Joint Committee,” the Union Minister said.
“Till date, a total of 284 delegations from the state holders of different communities have presented their views and suggestions before the committee. Waqf boards of 25 state governments and union territories have also presented their submissions,” he added.
Earlier in the day, Rijiju speaking to the media said that the bill is in the interest of the country.
“Today is a historic day, and today, the Waqf Amendment Bill will be introduced in the Lok Sabha. This bill is being introduced in the interest of the country. Not only crores of Muslims but the whole country will support it. Those who are opposing it are doing so for political reasons,” he said.
Democratic brainstorming
Congress MP KC Venugopal accused the government of trying to bulldoze the bill, saying that they had not been given enough time to move their amendments. “You are bulldozing the legislation, you need to give time for the amendments, their no time for amendments,” he said.
Responding to the allegation, speaker Om Birla said that he had given equal consideration to the amendments of the government and the opposition members.
The Union Home Minister Amit Shah lashed out at the Congress for opposing the Waqf Amendment Bill. “It was your (opposition) insistence that a Joint Parliamentary Committee should be formed. We do not have a committee like the Congress. We have a democratic committee, which brainstorms. Our committee discusses, deliberates on the basis of discussions and makes changes. If the changes are not to be accepted, then what is the point of the committee?” the Union Home Minister stated.
The Amendment Bill seeks to improve the administration and management of waqf properties in India. It aims to overcome the shortcomings of the previous act and enhance the efficiency of Waqf boards by introducing changes such as renaming the Act, updating the definitions of waqf, improving the registration process, and increasing the role of technology in managing waqf records.
The Waqf Act of 1995, enacted to regulate Waqf properties, has long been criticized for issues such as mismanagement, corruption, and encroachments.
Bill to hide failures, says Akhilesh
Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav said: “Whenever BJP brings up a new Bill, it hides its failure.”
Deputy Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi, said: "What message do you (government) want to give? The community that fought for India's independence, the community that sacrificed its life along with Mangal Pandey in 1857, you want to tarnish the image of that community. When you were writing mercy petitions to the British, when you people were not supporting the Quit India Movement, that community supported the Quit India Movement. You want to tarnish the image of the community which completely rejected Jinnah's two-nation theory in 1924. This is your divide and rule. Nationalism for us is being united.”
Speaking in support of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MP Krishna Prasad Tenneti said: "The TDP's role in shaping this Bill shows our commitment to Muslim and minority welfare. Ensuring the welfare of minorities has always been the top priority since the formation of our party..."
Key BJP ally Janata Dal-United fully endorsed the Waf (Amendment) Bill in Lok Sabha and accused opposition parties of trying to set a narrative that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is anti-Muslim.
Union minister Lalan Singh claimed that the proposed amendments are in the interest of pasmanda (backward Muslims) and the poor and women among the minority religion. It will bring transparency, he asserted.
Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) MP Arvind Sawant, who also participated in the debate on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, said: "I, too, was a member of the JPC. Unfortunately, till the end, clause-by-clause discussions were not held in the JPC. Non-stakeholders were also called to the JPC... We have always felt that there is a great difference between your words and actions. You do not want to do justice to anyone with this Bill... Do not think that what you are doing is right...I think you can only see the Bihar Elections now..."
Speaking in the Lower House during the debate on the Bill, DMK’s A Raja said religion is different and politics is something different". The two should not be mixed, he said.
Attempts to spread Misconceptions: Amit Shah
Speaking on the Bill, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said, “I stand in support of the Bill introduced by my ministerial colleague. I have been carefully hearing the discussion going on since 12 noon...I feel that there are several misconceptions among several Members, either genuinely or politically. Also, through this House, attempts are being made to spread those misconceptions across the country...”
(Courtesy: Agencies)
