Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], April 9 (HBTV): BJP leader and Haryana Minister Vipul Goel on Thursday welcomed the passage of the Waqf Amendment Bill, 2025 in the Lok Sabha, stating that correcting irregularities or wrongdoings in any institution is in the interest of the country.

Speaking to ANI, Goel said, ‘I congratulate and thank Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi that a bill which eliminates irregularities and prevents anyone from taking advantage of Waqf was passed in the Lok Sabha and today will be passed in the Rajya Sabha as well. If there are any irregularities or wrongdoings in any institution, then it is in the interest of the institution and the country to correct that.’

He also criticised the Congress party for opposing the Waqf Amendment Bill, stating, ‘Congress even opposed the abolishment of Triple Talaq. They have no agenda or transparency. Their government was a blemish on the country.’

His remarks follow Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) chairperson Sonia Gandhi's strong criticism of the BJP-led Union Government, where she described the bill as a ‘brazen assault’ on the Constitution and part of a deliberate attempt to polarise society.

‘Yesterday, the Waqf Amendment Bill, 2024 was passed in the Lok Sabha, and today it is scheduled to come up in the Rajya Sabha. The bill was in effect bulldozed through. Our party's position is clear. The Bill is a brazen assault on the Constitution itself. It is very much part of the BJP's deliberate strategy to keep our society in a state of permanent polarization,’ Sonia Gandhi said.

The Lok Sabha passed the Waqf Amendment Bill, 2025 after a marathon and heated debate. During the session, members of the INDIA bloc strongly opposed the legislation, while the BJP and its allies voiced their support, stating that the bill would bring transparency and improve the efficiency of Waqf boards.

The House sat beyond midnight to pass the legislation. Speaker Om Birla later announced the division's result: ‘Subject to correction, Ayes 288, Noes 232. The majority is in favour of the proposal.’

The government introduced the revised bill after incorporating recommendations made by the Joint Parliamentary Committee, which had examined the legislation introduced in August last year. The bill seeks to amend the Waqf Act of 1995 and improve the administration and management of Waqf properties in India.

It aims to address the shortcomings of the earlier act and enhance the efficiency of Waqf boards, improving the registration process and increasing the role of technology in managing Waqf records.

(ANI)