288/232: The Waqf bill will be presented in Rajya Sabha today; This is how it was approved in Lok Sabha after 12 hours of discussion; Know who said what

Posted on 3rd Apr 2025 by rohit kumar

The Lok Sabha passed the Waqf Amendment Bill by majority at around 1 am on Wednesday. 288 votes were cast in favor of the bill, while 232 were cast against it. The House also rejected all the amendments of the opposition by voice vote. The amendment proposal of opposition MP NK Premachandran was voted on at 1.15 am, which was rejected by 288 against 231. It proposed not to have non-Muslim members on the board. The bill was discussed for more than 12 hours in the Lok Sabha. Now the bill will be introduced in the Rajya Sabha today i.e. on Thursday.

 

No interference in any religion

 

Rijiju started the discussion by introducing the bill on Wednesday afternoon. He said the purpose of the bill was not to interfere in any religion, but to manage the properties of Waqf. Referring to the most controversial section 40 of the old law, Rijiju said, that under this strict provision, the Waqf Board could declare any land as Waqf property. Only the tribunal could cancel or amend it, the appeal could not be made in the High Court. It has been removed. No land of the Muslim community will be taken away. The opposition is misleading.

 

Earlier, Home Minister Amit Shah, while participating in the discussion on the bill, accused the opposition of giving a license to the Waqf Board to loot government property under the politics of appeasement. He said, we will not give place to the Mughal-era system and law in independent India. Due to PM Narendra Modi's politics of development over decades of casteism, appeasement and nepotism, the public will give us mandate three more times.

 

Shah reminded of the amendment made in the UPA-2 government in 2013, saying that due to this widespread anarchy spread. RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav had termed the amendment as unjust and demanded a strict law. The government is fulfilling Lalu Yadav's wish. Responding to the discussion, Minority Welfare Minister Kiren Rijiju said on the opposition's claim of calling the bill unconstitutional, when the Waqf law has been in place since 1954, how can the amendment in it be unconstitutional. He said the country's minority community is the most secure in the world.

 

Shah gave one-by-one answers, saying- everyone will have to follow the law of the country

 

No interference of the government: Shah said, I want to make it clear that there will be no interference of the government in Waqf, which is a trust created through donations for the religious activities of Muslim brothers. Mutawalli will be from their community, Waqif will be theirs and Waqf will also be theirs.

 

Non-Muslims will also not come: To create fear in the minority vote bank, they are spreading the notion that the new Act will interfere in the religious conduct of Muslims and their donated property, while non-Muslims will have no role in religious matters. No non-Muslim will come.

 

Waqf does not run religious activities: The opposition is propagating that the government will usurp the property of Muslims. Non-Muslims in Waqf Board and Council will interfere in their religious activities. The reality is that the Waqf Board does not run religious activities.

 

Will not be applicable from the retrospective date: It is clear in the bill that the provisions will be applicable after the notification is issued, that is, it will not be applicable from the retrospective date.

 

The collector has the right to investigate the property, why exemption to Waqf: In the Constitution, the collector has the right to settle claims and disputes on property. In such a situation, why should there be an exemption in the Waqf case? Waqf is a trust, the bill is for the administrative system. The real purpose of Waqf should be fulfilled. All sections of Muslims should get benefits. No one can stop the poor from getting their rights.

 

Neither rivers of blood flowed, nor anarchy spread: The opposition, especially the Congress, has done casteism, appeasement, and family politics for decades. People were confused by rumors. Before the construction of the Ram temple, CAA and Article 370 were repealed, it was said that rivers of blood would flow. Anarchy will spread. Neither rivers of blood flowed anywhere, nor anarchy spread, nor did Muslims lose their citizenship. He said, this is the law of the country, everyone has to obey it.

 

Owaisi tore the copy of the bill in the House.

 

AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi tore the copy of the Waqf Bill in the House in protest. Accusing the government of targeting the country's largest minority group, Owaisi said, the proposed amendments are an attack on their rights. Citing the example of Gandhiji, he separated the stapler between two pages.

 

Litigation will increase due to the bill: Gaurav.

 

From the opposition, the debate on the bill was started by Congress Deputy Leader Gaurav Gogoi. He said an attempt is being made to control the Waqf properties. Today, the eye is on one minority group, and tomorrow the other will be targeted. We support the necessary reforms, but this bill will increase litigation and problems. In the name of reform, there is talk of nomination instead of making members in the Waqf Council through elections. The government has the right to give instructions if something wrong is happening in the name of Waqf, so why did it not use this right?

 

Waqf's right is with Allah.

Trinamool MP Kalyan Banerjee said- Waqf is a religious and social service institution. Waqf has every right with Allah. Property is used for the welfare of people.