Waqf Amendment Bill Passes Lok Sabha Amid Fierce Opposition, 288-232 Vote Split

After a heated 12-hour debate, the controversial bill aiming to reform the 1995 Waqf law cleared the lower house; Opposition slams it as unconstitutional, vows legal challenge.

April 3, 2025: In a dramatic midnight session that stretched into the early hours of Thursday, the Lok Sabha passed the Waqf Amendment Bill, 2025, with 288 votes in favour and 232 against, following a marathon 12-hour debate. The contentious legislation is now set to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha later today.

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The bill seeks to introduce sweeping changes to the Waqf Act of 1995, and has drawn sharp criticism from Opposition parties and Muslim organizations, who argue it undermines constitutional protections and minority rights.

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🔍 Key Provisions in the Amended Bill:

• Mandatory inclusion of two non-Muslim members in the Central Waqf Council and state Waqf Boards.
• Only practicing Muslims (for at least five years) can donate property to Waqf.
• Government land wrongly claimed as Waqf will revert to the state; Collectors will determine final ownership.
• Disputes will no longer be handled by Waqf tribunals but by senior administrative officials.
• Special protection for widows, divorced women, and orphans before a Waqf declaration.
• Non-Muslim minorities’ support cited as part of the bill’s inclusive approach.

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🔥 Political Firestorm in Parliament

The Opposition launched a scathing attack, calling the bill “unconstitutional”, “divisive”, and “a direct assault on minorities”. Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi accused the government of bypassing the Minority Affairs Ministry and alleged the law was politically motivated.

“This is a 4D attack – to dilute, defame, disenfranchise, and divide,” Gogoi said.

AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi, in a symbolic protest, tore a copy of the bill, likening it to Mahatma Gandhi’s resistance against colonial laws.

Shiromani Akali Dal MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal lashed out at the BJP, branding the party as “the real Tukde Tukde gang” for attempting to divide communities and ignoring Sikh and Muslim concerns.

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🏛️ Government’s Defense

Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Minister Kiren Rijiju strongly defended the bill.

“This is not about religion. It’s about stopping illegal occupation of government and religious properties in the name of Waqf,” Mr. Shah said.

He cited several examples of disputed properties — including government land, temple plots, and even the old Parliament building — that were allegedly declared Waqf under Congress regimes.

“You can’t donate what you don’t own,” Shah asserted. “The 2013 amendments were made for appeasement; this bill rectifies that historic wrong.”

Rijiju added that the amendment was necessary to prevent future claims over national monuments and public institutions.

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⚖️ Legal Challenge Ahead

The All India Muslim Personal Law Board has announced it will challenge the bill in court. Spokesperson Mohammad Mohsin said the board would organize nationwide protests and consider road blockades, comparing it to the farmers’ movement.

“This is a fight for constitutional rights. We won’t stay silent,” he said.

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📌 What Happens Next?

The bill now awaits passage in the Rajya Sabha, where the ruling coalition has a slimmer margin. The next session is expected to be heated, with legal and political opposition mounting swiftly outside Parliament.

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🏷️ Tags:
Waqf Amendment Bill, Lok Sabha, Amit Shah, Kiren Rijiju, Asaduddin Owaisi protest, AIMIM, Waqf property law, 2025 Parliament debate, minorities in India, Constitution, Congress opposition, BJP, Gaurav Gogoi, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, All India Muslim Personal Law Board, Rajya Sabha Waqf Bill