NEW DELHI: A day after the Lok Sabha cleared the Waqf Amendment Bill after a stormy debate earlier in the day, it was tabled in the Rajya Sabha by Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday, urging the Congress party and Opposition MPs to provide their support.
The minister reiterated that the Bill will not step on the rights of the Muslim community, saying the Bill has nothing to do with religion but will only deal with properties. Seeking the Opposition’s support to pass the Bill, which was examined and redrafted by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), the minister said it aims to accomplish the unfulfilled tasks of the previous governments.
The INDIA bloc parties voiced their opposition against the Bill in the Upper House, alleging that it was “unconstitutional” and aimed at targeting Muslims.
The ruling party members and the opposition parties engaged in an intense debate over the Bill which seeks to improve the functioning of Waqf properties, address complexities, ensure transparency and introduce technology-driven management.
The Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha after all amendments moved by the opposition members were rejected by voice votes. It was passed after a division of votes - 288 in favour and 232 against.
Leaders of several opposition parties including the Congress, TMC, DMK, AAP, Shiv Sena (UBT), Samajwadi Party, RJD, and Left parties also alleged that the Bill was brought by the government with a malafide intentions.
Leader of the House and BJP leader J P Nadda, however, said the Bill is not against Muslims and claimed that it is aimed at helping the poor and protecting the rights of Muslim women.
Nadda also accused the Congress of making Muslim women second-grade citizens during its rule, and said the Modi government brought Muslim women into the mainstream by banning the practice of triple talaq. “We believe in real service not lip service...I stand in support of the (Waqf) Bill as its sole purpose is to bring reforms in managing the Waqf properties,” Nadda said, emphasizing that the current amendment in the Bi ll tries to bring accountability.
Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge appealed to the government to withdraw the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2025 and not make it a prestige issue.
During the debate on the Bill, Kharge said that the new legislation is no different from the 1995 Act, apart from a few clauses that have been added to destroy people and their rights.
Initiating the debate, Congress MP Syed Naseer Hussain termed the proposed legislation “unconstitutional” and alleged that it targets the Muslim community.
He also accused the BJP of using the proposed legislation to trigger communal tension and polarisation in the society in order to strengthen its vote bank. Hussain accused the ruling BJP of trying to mislead the country and claimed no recommendations made by opposition members to the JPC formed to look into the Bill were included in it.
He alleged that the Bill seeks to treat Muslims as “second-class” citizens in the country. Hussain also noted that the BJP-led government is trying to bulldoze the legislation in the Upper House.
Manoj Jha of RJD said the content and intent of the Bill puts a question mark on the government. He also said the government should send the Bill to the select committee of Parliament once again. Jha alleged that the Bill is like “dog whistle politics” to alienate the Muslims from the mainstream.
Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav emphasised that all the religions must be treated with respect and the government must prevent India “shifting towards a totalitarian state”.
He said India has a huge population of minorities, especially Muslims and if a large section of people feel that injustice has been meted out to them, any efforts to appease them will not work.
John Brittas of CPI(M) said it is an attack on the Constitution. “It attacks the basic tenets of India’s Constitution, where it is secularism, where it is democracy, and equality. There is a cardinal violation happening. They have already discriminated against people by segregating them. They are now segregating God from God. Hindu God from Allah,” he said. Y V Subba Reddy of YSRCP too opposed the Bill, saying this is “unconstitutional”.
Congress member Abhishek Singhvi said on one hand, the Bill has omitted the concept of ‘Waqf by User’, at least prospectively, disallowing Waqfs to be created on the basis of uninterrupted usage over a significant period of time.
“On the other, the applicability of the Limitation Act, if this Bill is passed, has inversely and conversely allowed the government, quasi governmental bodies and others outside the community to lay claim over a real Waqf property on the basis of uninterrupted and continued possession beyond 12 years, so long as litigation is not started prior to that,” he added. Independent MP Kapil Sibal said non-Muslims could earlier form the Waqf board too, but this Bill does not allow that anymore. He said there should be reform in Hindu religion and why target only one community.
Muzibulla Khan of BJD said Muslims in this country are tense because a non-Muslim would be kept for the management under this Bill.
DMK leader Tiruchi Siva said his party opposes the Bill as it is legally flawed.
“I stand on the behalf of my party to oppose this Bill... We reject the Bill in its entirety because it is legally flawed, constitutionally indefensible and morally reprehensible,”
he stated. with agency inputs