4 April,2025
Amit Shah stated the Waqf Amendment Bill targets Waqf corruption and unfairness. He believes the law passed by Parliament promotes honesty, responsibility, fairness, and equality, eliminating loopholes for efficient Waqf management.
"Today is a historic day as Parliament has enacted the 'Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025', bringing an end to decades of corruption and injustice and ushering in a new era of justice and equality," Shah posted on X.
He said this bill will ensure transparency and accountability in Waqf boards and properties, which will benefit poor, women, and children of the Muslim community. Shah expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju for supporting him, saying the bill will ensure justice to crores of people.
"This bill will make Waqf Boards and properties more accountable, transparent, and equitable. It will definitely benefit the poor, women, and children in the Muslim community. I congratulate Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on this significant bill that does justice to crores of people. I also want to thank all the parties and parliamentarians who supported it," said the Union Home Minister.
Earlier, Maulana Yasoob Abbas, General Secretary of the All India Shia Personal Law Board (AISPLB), had said that they would go to the Supreme Court and stage peaceful protests against the bill. Abbas had alleged that their views were ignored even after their submission to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf Amendment Bill.
"We will approach the Supreme Court seeking justice and stage peaceful protests within constitutional bounds. We expressed our opinions to the JPC, but they were not taken into account," Abbas said.
He was critical of the Janata Dal (United) under Nitish Kumar and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) under Chandrababu Naidu for not backing the Muslim community.
They are keen to win the Muslim vote, but they feel their support is declining. To earn back trust, they are debating matters close to Muslims' hearts. Abbas spoke of disappointment at JD(U) and TDP failing to rally behind the Muslim community.
Meanwhile, Mayawati, the Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) chief, expressed her objection to the hasty passage of the Waqf Amendment Bill. She lambasted the central government for hastening the bill as "inappropriate."
She said that her party would support the Muslim community if the government abuses the new law. "It's sad that the government rushed through this bill so quickly, which is not proper. Now that it has passed, if it is abused, our party will stand with the Muslim community fully, which means that we do not support this bill," Mayawati said on X.
On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the passing of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill of 2025 a big moment, saying it would help marginalized communities who have been "denied both voice and opportunity."
He posted on X, "The passage of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill and the Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill by both Houses of Parliament is a turning point in our collective journey towards social and economic justice, transparency, and inclusive growth. This will particularly help those who have been historically marginalized, voiceless, and deprived of opportunity."
The Waqf Amendment Bill 2025 was passed by the Parliament early Friday morning following a long and heated debate. Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar declared, "Ayes 128 and Noes 95, Absent zero. The Bill is passed." The proceedings went on late into the night to complete the legislation.
Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju blamed opposition parties for misleading people regarding the Waqf Amendment Bill, stating that it will help millions in the Muslim community.
Reacting to the prolonged debate that ran for more than 12 hours in the Rajya Sabha, Rijiju said that numerous recommendations of the Joint Parliamentary Committee were incorporated in the revised bill.
He declared that the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, will now be known as the UMEED (Unified Waqf Management Empower Efficiency and Development) Bill.
The Lok Sabha debated the Waqf (Amendment) Bill on Wednesday and passed it shortly after midnight after a long debate.
The government introduced the amended bill after considering the suggestions of the Joint Parliamentary Committee, which had examined the bill first tabled in August last year. The bill seeks to modify the 1995 Act and increase the management and administration of waqf properties in India.
The aim of the Bill is to fix the flaws in the earlier act and enhance the effectiveness of Waqf boards through better registration and higher technological application in waqf records management.
