New Delhi [India], April 3 (HBTV): The Lok Sabha passed the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, on Thursday after a marathon and heated debate during which members of the INDIA bloc fiercely opposed the legislation, while the BJP and its allies strongly supported it, saying it will bring transparency and enhance the efficiency of Waqf boards.

The bill was passed after amendments proposed by opposition members were rejected. The House sat beyond midnight to pass the legislation.

After a reply to the debate by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, Speaker Om Birla announced that the House was taking up item no. 12 in the listed business—the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025—for a decision. He stated that the question was whether the bill should be taken up for consideration and then ordered the lobbies to be cleared.

He later announced the result of the division vote. 'Subject to correction, Ayes 288, Noes 232. The majority is in favour of the proposal,' he said.

Parties in the INDIA bloc had decided to oppose the bill, and their members voted accordingly. They also pressed for division on some amendments. An amendment was rejected with 231 members voting in favour and 238 against it.

The revised bill was brought by the government after incorporating recommendations of the Joint Parliamentary Committee, which examined the legislation introduced in August last year.

In his reply to the debate, Rijiju criticised opposition parties for terming the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 'unconstitutional.' He argued that laws concerning Waqf properties have existed for decades and have not been struck down by courts, adding that such terms should not be used lightly.

The Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill, 2024, was also passed in the Lok Sabha.

The debate in the Lok Sabha lasted almost 12 hours.

Rijiju said that after the bill's passage, the poor in the Muslim community would thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 'Crores of poor Muslims will thank PM Modi on the bill being passed,' he said.

He rejected opposition claims that the bill was 'anti-Muslim,' stating that some members were unwilling to accept the truth despite Home Minister Amit Shah providing detailed explanations.

'I want to thank all the leaders for expressing their views on the bill. Some leaders are calling it unconstitutional, but I want to ask them how they can make such claims. If it was unconstitutional, why haven't the courts struck it down? Words like "unconstitutional" should not be used so lightly,' he said.

Earlier, Home Minister Amit Shah accused the opposition of attempting to build its vote bank by instilling fear in the minority community.

He asserted that the government does not intend to interfere in the religious activities of Muslim organisations or trusts handling donations.

'No non-Islamic member will be involved in the Waqf Board's work related to religious donations. Non-Muslim members appointed to the Waqf Board or its premises will have no role in religious activities. A person of any religion can become the Charity Commissioner, and they will ensure that the board is run according to charity laws. This is an administrative matter, not a religious one,' the Home Minister said.

'The Waqf Board should focus on identifying and removing those who sell Waqf properties. The opposition wants to continue the previous administration's collusion, but this will no longer be possible,' he added.

Shah stated that had the Waqf law not been amended in 2013, there would have been no need to introduce the current bill.

'In 2013, the Waqf law was significantly altered overnight for appeasement purposes, leading to 123 VVIP properties in Delhi's Lutyens zone being allocated to Waqf,' he said.

He also highlighted extensive consultations conducted by the Joint Parliamentary Committee that reviewed the Waqf Bill.

'We formed a joint committee, held 38 meetings, conducted 113 hours of discussion, included 284 stakeholders, and received nearly one crore online suggestions from across the country. After analysing all these, this law was drafted, and it cannot be dismissed so easily,' he said.

Participating in the debate, BJP MP Jagdambika Pal, who headed the JPC, said it was among the most significant legislations of the Modi government's third term.

The bill was earlier moved for consideration and passage in the House by Rijiju.

The bill seeks to amend the Act of 1995 to improve the administration and management of Waqf properties in India. It aims to overcome shortcomings of the previous act, enhance the efficiency of Waqf boards, improve the registration process, and increase the role of technology in managing Waqf records. (ANI)