The Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2025 was tabled in the Lok Sabha for consideration today, 2 April 2025. Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju clarified that the bill strictly pertains to Waqf Board properties and has no connection to religious practices or mosque management. He emphasized that the amendments aim to make Waqf Boards more inclusive and secular, incorporating representatives from different Muslim sects, women, and non-Muslims.
Rijiju accused the opposition of misleading the public, highlighting that certain provisions in the existing law had been misused to declare land as Waqf property, particularly referencing 123 properties transferred in Delhi under Congress rule.
Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi opposed the bill, calling it unconstitutional and alleging that it seeks to defame minorities and divide society. Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated that the bill was framed after extensive deliberations by the Joint Parliamentary Committee and the Cabinet. The discussion on the bill is ongoing.