Waqf Amendment Bill: The Lok Sabha has passed the Waqf Amendment Bill, triggering a wave of reactions from political leaders. While NDA leaders, including Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and Kiren Rijiju, hailed it as a historic decision, opposition leaders such as Akhilesh Yadav, Imran Masood, Imran Pratapgarhi and Asaduddin Owaisi have fiercely criticised the bill, calling it unconstitutional.
Opposition Leaders Condemn Waqf Amendment Bill
Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi linked the bill\’s passage to global economic events, stating, “Parliament was working till 2 AM, and at 1:30 AM, America imposed tariffs on India. BJP voters should understand that the Waqf Amendment Bill was already planned to divert attention from this issue. The US has imposed a 26% tariff, but the government does not want to talk about it. Instead, I have heard that the PM has now gone to Thailand.”
#WATCH | #WaqfAmendmentBill passed in the Lok Sabha; Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi says, “The parliament was working until 2 in the morning, and at 1:30 am, the US imposed tariffs. The country and especially the BJP voters must understand that this Waqf (Amendment) Bill was… pic.twitter.com/8tt3MRayrD
— ANI (@ANI) April 3, 2025
Expressing strong disapproval, Congress leader Imran Masood stated, “The Constitution is being crushed. It is unfortunate that decisions are being made based on numbers. We will continue our fight and approach the court.”
#WATCH | #WaqfAmendmentBill passed in the Lok Sabha; Congress MP and JPC member Imran Masood says, “The Constitution is being crushed… It is sad how things are going on based on the numbers (of MPs) they have. We will continue our fight and go to Court…” pic.twitter.com/7mTjorpMeF
— ANI (@ANI) April 3, 2025
Rajya Sabha MP Pramod Tiwari also criticised the bill, warning, “A black law was passed in the darkness of the night. This is a warning bell for all religions. Hindus, Sikhs, and other religious groups also have properties. Does this mean their properties will also be taken away?”
#WATCH | Delhi | Waqf Amendment Bill passed in Lok Sabha, Congress MP Pramod Tiwari says, “… A black bill was passed in the darkness of the night. This is a warning bell for all religions…Hindus also have properties, Sikhs also have properties, or all such religions and… pic.twitter.com/2ivLKswWaS
— ANI (@ANI) April 3, 2025
BJP Defends Waqf Amendment Bill, Calls It a Landmark Decision
While the opposition strongly opposes the bill, the ruling BJP is celebrating it as a historic step towards reform.
In the Lok Sabha, Home Minister Amit Shah dismissed concerns and assured the Muslim community, saying: “Some people are spreading misinformation that this law will interfere with the religious rights and properties of the Muslim community. This is completely false and is only meant to scare minorities for political gains. Through this House, I want to assure the country\’s Muslims that no non-Muslim will be involved in your Waqf matters. This law does not allow that. Instead, it will ensure that those selling Waqf properties illegally are punished.”
#WATCH | Delhi | Waqf Amendment Bill 2025 passed in Lok Sabha, BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla says, “After more than 13 hours of discussion, the Waqf Amendment Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha… I welcome it…Waqf will no longer be able to claim whatever it wants… Social… pic.twitter.com/P2FevS9ghg
— ANI (@ANI) April 3, 2025
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla also praised the bill, stating: “Today is a victory for social justice. Poor Muslims, women, orphans, and other needy people will now benefit from Waqf properties. This is also a victory for good governance. Once the bill becomes law, the issues within the Waqf system will be resolved. The bill will ensure the rights of poor Muslims while upholding the Constitution.”
What’s Next for Waqf Amendment Bill?
Despite strong opposition, the government has successfully passed the Waqf Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha. The next step is to present it in the Rajya Sabha.
Currently, there are 236 members in the Rajya Sabha, and a majority of 119 votes is needed to pass the bill. The BJP holds 98 seats in the Rajya Sabha. It remains to be seen how the party will secure support from its allies to get the bill approved.
