The Waqf Amendment Bill, passed in the Lok Sabha today

The Waqf Amendment Bill, passed in the Lok Sabha today, is a significant step towards upholding the constitutional right to property for all citizens of India.

The Waqf Amendment Bill passed in the Lok Sabha today is a landmark step towards upholding the constitutional property rights of all citizens, including the residents of Munambam Kerala State.

What is Waqf?

Waqf is a term used in Islamic law to describe property donated for religious or charitable purposes. Once a donor (waqif) dedicates a property, its ownership is considered vested in Allah, and the income from it is used for the welfare of the community. The sale of such property is strictly prohibited.

For decades, the #Waqf system, nurtured by successive Congress governments driven by appeasement politics, has trampled on constitutional rights and often denied individuals the right to property. This amendment will restore equality, protect property rights, and provide long-awaited relief to the suffering people in various parts of the country.

The BJP government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has taken new decisions, committed to keeping promises and ensuring justice and equal rights for all. 

The bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha by Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday morning. The debate, which was scheduled for eight hours, was concluded by him answering questions raised in the House.  Following heated arguments in the Lok Sabha, the vote was finally taken. 

Ahead of the bill's introduction in the Lok Sabha, the ruling BJP and Congress issued whips to ensure the presence of their MPs during the crucial debate and vote.

During the debate, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi led the opposition's resistance against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha, calling it an "attack on Muslim faith and religious practices".

#WATCH | Speaking in Lok Sabha, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju takes a jibe at AIMIM Chief Asasuddin Owaisi; says, "...AIMIM Chief Asasuddin Owaisi raised various issues and made an allegation that for the Muslims, provision is being made for the children of Muslims… pic.twitter.com/xDn7Z4xuNl

— ANI (@ANI)  April 2, 2025

During a dramatic protest, Owaisi symbolically 'torn' the bill, likening his act to Mahatma Gandhi's defiance of unjust laws.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that the total area of ​​land under Waqf Boards in India has more than doubled in the last 12 years.

"From 1913 to 2013, the Waqf Board had a total of 18 lakh acres of land. Between 2013 and 2025, after the Congress-led UPA amended the Waqf Act in 2013, 21 lakh acres of land was added to it," Shah said in the Lok Sabha.

"Out of the total 39 lakh acres, 21 lakh acres were added after 2013, yet they claim that there has been no misuse," Shah remarked, referring to the 1995 amendment to the Waqf Act aimed at improving the management of Waqf property.

Speaking in the Lok Sabha on the Waqf Amendment Bill, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that the Congress had donated 123 VIP properties in New Delhi to the Waqf Board just before the 2014 elections. He added that the Congress had also donated railway land to the Waqf Board by amending the Waqf Act in 2013.

According to previous government records, Waqf boards in India oversee 8.72 lakh properties covering 9.4 lakh acres.

While the debate on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill is still ongoing in the Lok Sabha, Leader of the Opposition and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took the stage and wrote that the bill is a weapon aimed at marginalizing Muslims.

Rijiju dismissed criticism from opposition members that the bill is "anti-Muslim", saying that after the bill is passed, the poor in the Muslim community will thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Waqf Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday midnight, with 288 votes in favour and 232 against.