The Lok Sabha witnessed heated exchanges as Union Minister Kiren Rijiju introduced the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, a move aimed at reshaping the governance of waqf properties in India. The bill proposes key reforms, including the inclusion of non-Muslim members in the Central Waqf Council and granting the government the authority to determine ownership of disputed waqf lands. Defending the bill, Rijiju stressed the need for transparency, citing instances where even Parliament premises were allegedly claimed as waqf property.
However, the Opposition strongly opposed the legislation, with Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi accusing the government of attempting to “dilute, defame, divide, and disenfranchise” the minority community. The political divide deepened, as BJP leader Anurag Thakur called the bill the “final nail in the coffin” for Congress’s appeasement politics, while Samajwadi Party’s Akhilesh Yadav slammed it as a calculated move to create social divisions.
As the debate rages on, the bill’s potential impact on minority rights, waqf property administration, and political dynamics remains at the center of parliamentary discussions.
