Kiren Rijiju blasts UPA government: "Parliament was being claimed as Waqf"

Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday tabled the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, in the Lok Sabha, as proposed by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), for consideration and passage. The bill aims to improve the administration of Waqf properties, introduce technology-driven management, address complexities, and ensure transparency.

Introducing the bill, Rijiju emphasized that the JPC conducted the largest consultation exercise in India's democratic history. Over 97.27 lakh petitions and memorandums were received and reviewed before finalizing the report. He also highlighted that 284 delegations, including Waqf boards from 25 states and Union Territories, legal experts, charitable organizations, academicians, and religious leaders, submitted their views.

Key Provisions of the Bill

The bill seeks to ensure that trusts created by Muslims under any law will no longer be considered Waqf, granting them full control. It restores pre-2013 rules by allowing only practising Muslims (for at least five years) to dedicate property to Waqf. Women must receive their inheritance before Waqf declaration, with special provisions for widows, divorced women, and orphans. An officer above the rank of collector will investigate government properties claimed as Waqf. In case of disputes, a senior government official will have the final say on property ownership, replacing the current Waqf tribunal system. The bill also proposes the inclusion of non-Muslim members in central and state Waqf boards for inclusivity.

Rijiju stated that Waqf controls the third-largest pool of properties in India after railways and defence. He criticized past administrations for mismanaging these properties, claiming that ordinary Muslims saw no benefits. "The income from Waqf properties should have been at least Rs 12,000 crore, yet it remains a mere Rs 166 crore," he noted. The bill will also be renamed as the Unified Waqf Management Empowerment, Efficiency and Development (UMEED) Bill. Additionally, a centralized portal will automate Waqf property management, improving efficiency and transparency.

Political Divide Over the Bill

Opposition parties, including the Congress, criticized the bill, arguing that the JPC ignored their suggestions and that the government was rushing it through Parliament. Contentious provisions, such as the inclusion of non-Muslim members in Waqf Boards and the government's authority to reclaim Waqf-designated properties, have sparked major controversy.

Rijiju, however, dismissed allegations that the law would snatch anyone’s property, reiterating that it is prospective, not retrospective. He also pointed to past opposition claims about the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), stating that none of their fears materialized. "The country will remember who supports and who opposes the Waqf Bill," he asserted. With the bill sparking fierce debate, its passage in Parliament is set to be a significant political showdown.