The Lok Sabha early morning on Thursday, passed the contentious Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, following a marathon debate lasting over 12 hours.
The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) staunchly defended the legislation as a measure beneficial to minorities, while the Opposition decried it as “anti-Muslim.”
The Bill was passed after a division of votes, with 288 members voting in favour and 232 against. All amendments proposed by Opposition members were rejected by voice votes.
Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, in his response to the debate, dismissed allegations that minorities were unsafe in India.
"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," he asserted.
The minister contended that minorities, including the Parsi community, lived in India with dignity and security. Citing instances of persecuted communities seeking refuge in India, he referred to the Dalai Lama and Tibetan exiles, as well as religious minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka.
“Minorities of Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan came to India after facing religious persecution in their respective countries. How can you say that minorities are not safe in India? Very, very wrong to say this. The coming generation will never forgive you,” Rijiju said.
He maintained that the NDA government was committed to unifying minorities and noted that the Christian community had “wholeheartedly” supported the Bill. Rijiju further underscored the importance of the legislation in expediting dispute resolution within Waqf tribunals, citing numerous pending cases.
“We want to expedite the resolution of the disputes in the tribunals. Justice delayed is justice denied. Widows, divorcees, and orphans will be given justice through the Bill,” he said.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, intervening in the debate, accused the Opposition of fear-mongering and misleading the public for electoral gain.
"A vote bank was being created by intimidating minorities and confusion being spread in the country in the name of the Waqf Bill," he alleged.
Shah stressed that the Modi government did not legislate for political advantage. "The Narendra Modi government runs on a very clear principle that we will not bring any law for vote bank because law is for justice and welfare of people," he said.
He further remarked that "conversion cannot be done for greed, temptation and fear," adding that it had become a “fashion” to create fear among minorities. Shah assured that "no citizen of this country, irrespective of his religion, will be harmed."
The Home Minister contended that the inclusion of non-Muslim members in Waqf councils and boards was purely administrative, ensuring properties were managed as per their intended objectives. He also blamed the 2013 amendments to the Waqf Act for necessitating fresh legislation, claiming the changes were rushed before the 2014 elections for "appeasement."
“As a result, 123 properties in Delhi’s Lutyens’ Zone were handed over to the Waqf just 25 days before the elections,” Shah stated.
The Bill drew fierce opposition from INDIA bloc leaders. Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi accused the government of attempting to undermine constitutional values.
“This Bill is an attack on the basic structure of our Constitution, an attack on our federal structure, and has four primary objectives: to dilute the Constitution, to defame minority communities, to divide Indian society, and to disenfranchise minorities,” he alleged.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav claimed the legislation was part of the BJP’s polarisation strategy following setbacks in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. He asserted that the Bill would tarnish India’s secular image globally and could prove politically damaging for the ruling party.
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi staged a dramatic protest, tearing a copy of the Bill in the House. Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, in a post on X, described the legislation as a “weapon” designed to marginalise Muslims.
“This attack on the Constitution by the RSS, BJP and their allies is aimed at Muslims today but sets a precedent to target other communities in the future,” he wrote.
Key provisions of the Bill:
- The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, proposes:
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- Strengthening Waqf tribunals to expedite dispute resolution.
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- Reducing the mandatory contribution of Waqf institutions to Waqf boards from 7 per cent to 5 per cent.
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- Auditing Waqf institutions earning over ₹1 lakh annually through state-appointed auditors.
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- Automating Waqf property management via a centralised portal for transparency.
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- Reinstating pre-2013 provisions allowing only practising Muslims (for at least five years) to dedicate property to Waqf.
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- Ensuring women receive their inheritance before Waqf declarations, with special provisions for widows, divorced women, and orphans.
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- Empowering officers above the rank of collector to investigate government properties claimed as Waqf.
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- Including non-Muslim members in central and state Waqf boards to improve governance.
The Bill is expected to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha next.
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