Congress leader Sonia Gandhi on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the Narendra Modi-led government over the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, calling it a "brazen assault on the Constitution" and accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of using it as a tool to push the country towards a "surveillance state". Live Updates are here.

At a Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) meeting, Gandhi alleged that the bill was part of the BJP's broader strategy to "keep society in a state of permanent polarisation". She warned that the government was dragging India "into an abyss where the Constitution will remain on paper" and accused it of an "intention to demolish" constitutional values.
Gandhi, at a party meet on Thursday, reportedly asked her party MPs to "expose the Modi government's intention to turn India into a surveillance state".

Waqf Bill ‘Bulldozed’ Through Lok Sabha

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which was passed in the early hours of Thursday, aims to reform the administration and management of Waqf properties—charitable assets donated for religious or social purposes under Islamic law. The ruling NDA defended the bill, calling it a measure to bring transparency and efficiency to Waqf boards, while the opposition bloc INDIA strongly opposed it, alleging that it was “anti-Muslim” and a means to undermine minority rights.
The bill was passed after a marathon debate, with 288 MPs voting in favor and 232 against. All amendments moved by the opposition were rejected by voice votes.

Government Defends The Bill

Responding to the heated debate, Union Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju dismissed concerns raised by the opposition, stating that India remains “the safest place for minorities.”
"Some members have said that minorities are not safe in India. This statement is completely false. There is no place safer than India for minorities. I am also a minority, and we all are living here without any fear and with pride," he asserted.
Rijiju also argued that India has historically been a refuge for persecuted minority communities from neighboring countries, citing the Dalai Lama and Tibetan exiles, as well as displaced minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka.

‘One Nation, One Election Bill’ Another ‘Subversion Of The Constitution’

Apart from the Waqf Bill, Sonia Gandhi also criticised the proposed 'One Nation, One Election Bill', calling it "another subversion of the Constitution". She reaffirmed Congress's strong opposition to the legislation, stating that it was yet another attempt by the Modi government to consolidate power at the cost of democratic principles.
(With inputs from agencies)