A fierce showdown between the government and opposition members is underway in the Lok Sabha over a key legislation that seeks to improve the administration of Waqf properties in the country. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025 was taken up in the Lower House this morning for consideration and passage. Union Ministers Amit Shah and Kiren Rijiju were among those who backed the Bill while opposition MPs like Akhilesh Yadav and Gaurav Gogoi vociferously opposed it.
Who Said What
Union Minister Amit Shah: "Waqf Act and Board came into effect in 1995. All the arguments about the inclusion of non-Muslims inclusion are about interference in the Waqf. First of all, no non-Muslim would come into the Waqf. Understand this clearly... There is no such provision to include any non-Muslim among those who manage the religious institutions; we do not want to do this... This is a huge misconception that this Act will interfere with the religious conduct of Muslims and interfere with the property donated by them. This misconception is being spread to instill fear among minorities for their vote bank."
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju: "The government is not going to interfere in any religious institution. The changes made in the Waqf law by the UPA government gave it overriding effect over other statutes, hence the new amendments were required. (Targeting the opposition) You tried to mislead the people on issues which are not part of the Waqf Bill."
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi: "What message do you (government) want to give? The community that fought for India's independence, the community that sacrificed its life along with Mangal Pandey in 1857, you want to tarnish the image of that community... This is your divide and rule. Nationalism for us is being united."
Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav: "(Targeting BJP) A party that claims to be the biggest political party in the world has still not been able to elect its own national president" (Amit Shah's response to this jibe was pointed at the Congress. Without naming the Congress, he said their presidents were chosen from just five family members).
Dravidian Munnetra Kazhagam MP D Raja: "The irony is that the rights of the minorities are going to be protected by a party which has no member of a Muslim community. Today, it is a remarkable day for the Indian Parliament to decide our destiny whether this secular country is going to travel in the path which was well written by the forefathers of the Constitution or a negative path decided by the communal forces in the country."
