Muslim community will recognise transformative impact of Waqf Amendment Act upon reaping its benefits: Kailash Vijayvargiya

Bhopal: Senior BJP leader and Madhya Pradesh minister Kailash Vijayvargiya has said that the Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025 is a progressive and inclusive step aimed at protecting Waqf properties and ensuring their benefits reach the intended sections of the Muslim community. Speaking exclusively to Millennium Post, Vijayvargiya, who holds the portfolios of Urban Development, Housing, and Parliamentary Affairs in the BJP-led Madhya Pradesh government, stressed that the Act is not anti-Muslim. Instead, it aims to empower the community and ensure justice in the management of the Wakf assets. “Muslims will realise the benefits of the Act once they begin to avail its advantages. It is designed to protect their rights, not infringe upon them,” Vijayvargiya said. He elaborated on several key provisions of the Act, outlining how it brings long-overdue reforms. “For the first time, Muslim women will be part of Waqf boards - a major step toward gender justice and inclusive decision-making,” said former BJP national general secretary Vijayvargiya. He said the Act ensures representation of all major Muslim sects, preventing monopolisation and promoting fair inclusion. “To tackle misuse and mismanagement, the act brings in the National Waqf Development Corporation to monitor state boards. There will be stronger oversight, accountability, and clarity in functioning,” he further added.

The senior BJP leader emphasised that the Act addresses encroachments with stricter penalties and swift legal action, ensuring no one misusing Waqf land is spared. The Minister said that independent audits are now mandatory. We want the community to know exactly how their Waqf properties are being managed and whether the revenue is being used for welfare, education, or health, just as it was originally intended. “Special tribunals will handle disputes, which means faster resolutions and less exploitation of legal loopholes. This protects the interests of genuine stakeholders and keeps the system moving,” he said. Vijayvargiya asserted that the Act aims to end decades of opacity, mismanagement, and encroachment while positioning Waqf assets as tools for education, healthcare, and social welfare for the Muslim community. “The Act intends to create a system that is transparent, fair, and inclusive. Once the community begins to see the results, the Act will be acknowledged as transformative,” he concluded.