Ranchi/New Delhi: Several Opposition leaders on Wednesday, April 2, condemned the Waqf Amendment Bill, terming it an “attempt to violate” the religious freedom granted to Muslims under the Constitution.
Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju tabled the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, in the Lok Sabha, which seeks to improve the functioning of Waqf properties, address complexities, ensure transparency and introduce technology-driven management.
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.
Jharkhand Congress president Keshav Mahto Kamlesh claimed that the Bill was an attempt to divert people’s attention from various issues such as unemployment and inflation.
“We are not against the amendment, but rather its intention. An amendment should be introduced in the interest of the state and the country. However, this is an attempt to create division in the country,” Kamlesh told reporters here.
He alleged that the Bill weakens Muslims’ authority over the board and allows the government to control Waqf assets.
Janata Dal (U) legislator Saryu Roy said the Bill is a timely measure aimed at promoting harmony and ending the policy of appeasement towards any particular community in the country.
“The government’s move to table the Bill in Parliament is commendable, and it will be even more beneficial once it is passed,” said Roy, a former cabinet minister of Jharkhand.
Roy criticised the original Waqf Board Act, claiming that its enactment was driven by political motives rather than national interests.
He lauded the Union government for taking a step in the right direction by introducing the Waqf (Amendment) Bill.
“I believe that once the Bill is passed, there will be celebrations across the country,” Roy observed.
Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene to protect the rights of Muslims and withdraw the Waqf Amendment Bill.
In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister on Wednesday, the Tamil Nadu CM expressed deep concern over the potential implications of the Bill on the rights of the Muslim community and the functioning of Waqf Boards. He emphasised that Tamil Nadu has always been at the forefront of safeguarding minority rights and promoting religious harmony.
He argued that the amendments undermine the constitutional guarantee that allows every citizen to practice their religion freely and without interference.
Highlighting specific concerns, Stalin cited the proposed inclusion of two non-Muslim members in State Waqf Boards, which he said would erode the community’s religious autonomy.
He also criticised the removal of the ‘Waqf by user’ clause, stating that it would jeopardise the status of numerous historical properties.
Jagdambika Pal, Chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, stated that the legislation will bring transparency.
He said, “There was a time when Waqf properties were thought to benefit the intended beneficiaries, but that was not the case. Women and children never truly benefited from Waqf income in terms of education. Today, we have brought this in a transparent manner, which is being discussed and will be passed. In the future, all the property of the country will be digitised, registrations will be done on the WAMSI portal, and audits will be conducted. This will ensure that the poor and women receive the benefits of Waqf income.”
Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera has slammed the Waqf Amendment Bill, describing it as not only “anti-Muslim” but also “anti-constitutional.”
Khera claimed that the Bill is a direct assault on the core principles of the Indian Constitution, particularly those envisioned by B.R. Ambedkar – “equality, federalism, and minority rights.”
“The Waqf (Amendment) Bill brought by this fascist government isn’t just anti-Muslim, it’s anti-Constitutional as well. This is a direct assault on Babasaheb Ambedkar’s vision of equality, federalism, and minority rights,” he said.
In a long post shared on X, Khera on Wednesday said that the Bill violates several key constitutional provisions and “threatens” the autonomy of religious and minority institutions.
“This is a direct interference in religious affairs and a blatant assault on the autonomy of the Waqf Board,” Khera said.
The Congress Spokesperson also faulted the Bill’s requirement that two non-Muslim members be included in the Waqf Boards (Sections 9 and 14). Khera slammed this provision as what he called “an attempt to impose majoritarian control over a religious institution”, questioning, “Would the government ever demand Muslim members in the Ram Mandir Committee?”
The Bill also proposes the abolition of the concept of ‘Waqf by user’, which Khera argues is an integral part of Muslim Personal Law. According to Section 36(1A), this provision would require formal deeds instead, effectively erasing centuries-old traditions. Khera contended that this violates Article 29, which protects the rights of minorities to preserve their culture and traditions.
He said that this move goes against Ambedkar’s vision of a federal democracy, which emphasises the balance of power between the central and state governments.
Khera raised alarm over Section 3C of the Bill. “The real agenda behind the bill? Waqf land grab. Sec 3C of the bill allows state government officers to declare waqf properties as government land based on vague inquiries. With no clear criteria, this is a recipe for mass dispossession. This means thousands of Waqf-run schools, mosques, and hospitals could be seized overnight,” he said on X.
Khera concluded by accusing the BJP of attempting to dismantle the very foundations of India’s Constitution.
“With a single stroke, the BJP intends to scrap multiple Constitutional provisions like: Religious freedom (Articles 25-26), Minority rights (Articles 29-30), Federalism (Article 246), Equality (Article 14). The Constitution is not the BJP’s personal manifesto,” Khera wrote.
(With agency inputs)
