New Delhi: Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday again said the proposed Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025 is not against Muslims or intended to hurt their religious feelings, but seeks to improve the functioning of Waqf properties. Union Health Minister JP Nadda supported this contention by saying the bill is in the interest of the country.
Rijiju tabled the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, in the Rajya Sabha, a day after the legislation was passed in the Lok Sabha with 288 votes for and 232 votes against the Bill in the early hours of the day, just after midnight .
In a bid to seek the Opposition's support to pass the Bill, which was examined and redrafted by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), the Union Minister said it aims to accomplish the unfulfilled tasks of the previous governments.
The bill was passed in the Lower House after a marathon debate between the Centre and the Opposition, lasting for over 12 hours till Wednesday midnight. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who also addressed the House, attacked the Congress for spreading misinformation on the Bill, and assured that the legislation does not seek to interfere in Muslims' religious matters. "That the Waqf bill is interference in Muslims' religious matters and properties donated by them is fear-mongering for vote-bank," he said.
Union Health Minister JP Nadda, while taking a dig at the Congress over the protests with copies of the Constitution, said, "The Congress keeps the Constitution in their pockets. We are the real protectors of Constitution."
Continuing his speech in the Upper House, Nadda stressed the need to see beyond votebank politics. "We believe in real service and not lip service. A Muslim country like Turkey also revamped the Waqf law and brought all properties under the government in 1924. Malaysia too regulates the Waqf properties. Even in Iran, the Waqf properties are under the government. I am saying this to show that if Muslim-dominated nations can create transparency, then what is the problem if we decide to do the same here?"
JP Nadda attacked the Opposition saying, "I want to ask if the objective of the discussion is to consider a party's interest or nation's interest. I think the bill is in the interest of the country."
Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge appealed to the government to withdraw the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2025 and not make it a prestige issue, saying there's nothing new in Waqf Bill apart from draconian clauses.
Mallikarjun Kharge, during the debate on the Waqf Bill in the Rajya Sabha, 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.
Congress MP Mallikarjun Kharge said that despite being passed by the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, the Waqf (Amendment) Bill has not garnered great support. He said that 288 members voted in favour of the legislation, while 232 voted against it.
Opposing the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, Grand Mufti of Jammu & Kashmir Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam said: "This bill is against the Muslims... A law which already existed has been amended... This bill is a betrayal of Muslims. And because of this betrayal, there is chaos among them... We have decided to go to the Supreme Court. Considering the sentiments of the Muslims, it should be noted that 232 members were against it. It is a huge number, and their point cannot be ignored... We will go to the Supreme Court soon, but first, we will decide amongst ourselves how we will move forward... We will do it on a large scale..."
Former MP and Maharashtra unit president of the AIMIM, Imtiaz Jaleel, alleged the government wants to hand over land to big industrialists by amending the existing Waqf Act and sought to know if non-Muslims will be appointed to trusts managing major temples.
He questioned the rationale behind appointing non-Muslim members on the Waqf Board as proposed in the bill and sought to know if representatives from the minority community can join trusts managing big temples.
"If non-Muslims are going to be appointed on the Waqf Board, are they going to include Imtiaz Jaleel in Shirdi Saibaba (temple) trust or Tirupati temple trust. If such a board comes up for the Sikh community, no non-Sikh can be appointed. So, why such things are for the Waqf Board only," Jaleel questioned. (Agencies)
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