Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Apr 6: President Droupadi Murmu has given her assent to the controversial Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, officially making it a law following its passage in both Houses of Parliament after heated debates.

The law has sparked widespread discussion and constitutional challenges, with AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and Congress MP Mohammad Javed filing petitions in the Supreme Court questioning its validity.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, defending the legislation in Lok Sabha, clarified that the essence of Waqf remains untouched. “Waqf is a religious institution, but Waqf Boards and Councils are administrative bodies,” Shah said, adding that the inclusion of non-Muslims in these boards is aimed solely at transparency and proper utilisation of donations.

Shah dismissed the opposition's concerns, terming them as “deliberate fear-mongering” and a ploy to ‘create a vote bank.’ He reaffirmed that the law does not infringe upon Islamic religious practices.

In Rajya Sabha, BJP national president and Leader of the House J.P. Nadda launched a strong attack on the Congress, accusing it of enabling land mafias through the original Waqf Act. He stressed that the amendments are aimed at protecting the interests of poor Muslims and preventing misuse of Waqf assets.

Highlighting the democratic process behind the bill, Nadda pointed to the 31-member Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) formed under the Modi government, which debated the bill for over 200 hours. He contrasted this with the 13-member JPC during the UPA era, which he claimed lacked commitment.

The bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha early Friday morning (Apr 5) with 128 votes in favour and 95 against, following a marathon session. The Lok Sabha had cleared it a day earlier after a 12-hour-long debate.

The Centre insists the law strikes a balance between tradition and modern governance, but critics fear it may set a precedent for government overreach into minority affairs.